FREAK OUT!
by Persephone04
Summary: Brought to Runeterra, a continent from the game League of Legends, by a wish gone awry, seven friends find themselves transformed into characters from their favorite games. With no idea how to escape, they decide to go for the ride and find out out the pros and cons of not having a normal life. (P.S. Champions officially join in from Chapter 11 and onwards)
1. Chapter 1- Be Careful What You Wish For

**WARNING: The following program contains scenes and themes not suitable to very young audiences! Parental guidance is recommended!**

Jessie In Wonderland presents…

**FREAK OUT!**

**Prologue:**

Marcus, Kit, Sammy, Alex, Maria, Carol and Glenda are avid gamer friends and childhood buddies. Life for them has been pretty normal until now… Brought to Runeterra, a continent from the game League of Legends, by a wish gone awry, they find themselves transformed into characters from their favorite selection. With no idea how to escape, they decide to go for the ride and find out the pros and cons of not having a normal life.

**Chapter 1**

**Be Careful What You Wish For**

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:** The setting of this fanfiction is a combination of both pre-no Summoners, no-Institute of War era and post-no Summoners, no-Institute of War era. Yes, I still can't get over it. I will also not limit any character that appear therein to their own skillsets.

* * *

**Maple and Oaks St. **

**Blakesville City**

**Nuevo Terra (Earth's first artificial continent)**

**9:30 p.m.**

* * *

It was not a dark and stormy night. In fact, there was not a single sign in the elements to foreshadow what lay ahead. Under a peaceful night sky, seven friends strolled down a winding street, just going home from a gaming session.

"LOOK! LOOK! LOOK!" Alex cried, pointing at something at the night sky. His six best friends redirected their gazes at that direction. "Whoa! A wishing star!" Carol shrieked. She grabbed Marcus beside her and shook him like a ragdoll. Marcus, who was already used to the rollercoaster shaking, sighed. "Should we make a wish?" Alex said. Kit and Sammy snickered.

"What are you? Five years old?" Sammy said. He and Marcus exchanged bro fists. "Humor me, mister maturity." Alex said. "What should we wish for?" Maria asked. "Something awesome." Glenda said. "Something radical!" Kit said. "How about we wish we were in Runeterra? Like really in League of Legends?" Marcus said. The others hooted. "Wait! Wait! As our favorite characters!" Carol chirped. "From other games!" Maria piped in. "Yeeeah!" Sammy and Kit drawled. "Okay. 1-2-3. Go!" Alex said.

"I wish I was in Runeterra as my favorite character!" the chorus of seven voices said energetically. After saying it, the seven friends laughed. "That was childish." Sammy said. Alex sent him a look that made him laugh. "Hey, guys." Carol said. She was still looking at the sky. "What?" Marcus asked. "Don't you think that star is going the wrong way?" Carol said. The others looked.

"Yeah, you're right." Glenda finally concluded after some time. Sammy guffawed. "Leave it to Alex to find the retarded wishing star." Sammy said. He, Kit and Marcus laughed. "Ha. Ha. Ha." Alex said sarcastically.

"Uh, guys?" Maria said. The boys all looked at her. "Don't you think that star is, I don't know, getting TOO close?" Glenda said. Carol grabbed Glenda and held her real tight.

"Aaawww. Whiskers!" Carol said, disturbingly calm. Everything after that happened so fast. Their screams were drowned out by the raging force of the crashing star. With a burst of massive light and sound, everything went dark.

* * *

Sammy's head felt like bursting. He couldn't remember what happened last night. Okay, maybe he drank too much last night.

The smell of flower-bearing plants and the warmth of sunlight filled Sammy's body. They ended up at Alex's apartment. "Alex, get your mouth off my dick!" Sammy moaned. "Gross!" Carol sleepily chirped as always. Surely, the reply rang across the apartment.

"Sammy, the only time I'll put your dick in my mouth is when there are no other toothpicks around." Alex said. Kit and Marcus laughed out loud. "BURN!" Marcus, always the first one to wake up but last to rise, said. The seven friends laughed.

The sound of Alex melodramatically arising from the bed dominated the room. "EEEEEKKKKK!" Alex's shrill scream jolted them. They burst from their positions, ready to assault the object of his distress. "What?!" Kit exclaimed. Alex screamed louder. They all looked a closer look at their surroundings.

First of all, they weren't at the apartment. They were in some sort of cave-in. Actually, it looked a lot more like a crash site.

Secondly, how could they even sleep well in the middle of the day in the middle of a crater?!

Thirdly, what in the name of all things holy happened to them?!

Marcus looked as if he suited perfectly into the clothes he wore. It was as if it was what God had intended for him. Marcus looked supernormal and he was stuffed into a medieval suit of light armor with a motif of black and gothic depictions of savage creatures of myth. It clung to him like a shadow and lending him an air of mystery. A dark hood covered his head and his eyes glowed bluish white, giving him quite the badass look. The air around him strained with the feeling of forbiddance and equally ornate twin crossbows securely placed about his hips. His other friends could swear shadows danced around him.

Sammy's status as a prime stud just went to a whole new high. He wore a battlesuit tailored with the needs and wants of the ideal adventurer. It hugged his body like a second skin, complimenting his superb physique. Though simple-looking at a glance, there was no denial the sheer power of both magic and science in his instruments. The ingenuity of arcane enchantment runes and the cogs and clockworks and complexity of large machineries forged into small simple-looking devices was stunning. Eye-catching of all was the presence of a lady ghost beside him, defensive stance at the ready. The ghost looked strangely familiar them but her protectiveness hinted a deep bond with Sammy's character.

Carol looked amazing. Far more amazing than ever before. She aged quite a bit but only to a point where her womanly side displayed proudly. She wore quite the gown. Glittering against the sunlight like diamonds and swishing gracefully against the breeze, it added grace to Carol. The brilliancy of the gown highlighted several points of Carol's finest features, bringing them up to another notch. Its swirls and colors graced her face with the demure of royalty and elegancy of the fall of her hair lent her a dignified air. The regality of her dress made a dark contrast against the outgoing and impulsive nature of the wearer. Around her, frost seemed to dance and congregate. Boy, did Carol look familiar too. VERY familiar. Like something straight out of a Disney movie. A VERY recent Disney movie.

Carol squealed. "WAIT. WAIT. WAIT." she said. She pointed at Marcus. "DIABLO 3! DEMON HUNTER!" Carol said victoriously. Marcus sank to his knees and almost cried. "Hell-fucking-yeah! Hahaha!" he said, fisting the air in triumph. "Elsa?" Marcus said, pointing at Carol. Carol giggled madly and dashed off to practice make-believe ice magic at some unfortunate target.

"Van Helsing? The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing?" Marcus said. Sammy grinned widely. "Jealous?" he said, cocking his head. Marcus gave him the finger. "Sorry. I only recognized Lady Katarina. Everybody knows Lady Katarina is more awesome than Van Helsing!" he said. Lady Katarina looked at him and her suspicious expression melted in an instant, replaced with a welcoming one. "At last, someone who recognizes my greatness!" she said imperiously. "And the ACCENT!" Carol said, thrilled.

The two of them and the ghost could ride off to the sunset any moment now. "I could've picked more awesome character favorites but I'm not complaining!" Marcus said. His eyes were alive. More alive than he ever did in years actually and his hands were all over his body, admiring how GREAT he looked in it. "Well, hooray for you…" Maria's forlorn voice said. The others remembered about her, Glenda, Alex and Kit. They swerved to their direction and their jaws literally dropped.

Alex's girly looks looked more emphasized than normal, touched by a healthy dose of elegance and refinement. Clad in regalia of a swathe of red ribbon across his chest, a floating red crest behind him and a red gown that tapered off downward and ended in spindly tentacles. Actually, the tentacles are a part of his body as was the thick red mist seeping from him and his hands were refined into red elegant-looking claws and his black hair was now red as blood. The mist swirling around him lent him an aura of intrigue and guile, befitting the sly look Alex usually wore. It was both amazing and breathtaking. Until… HOLY SHIT! Alex, are you a freaking girl?!

Glenda's clothes clashed against her somber and melancholic attitude. She wore a shirt which is black and has a green stripe in the middle with a white 10 and green stripes on the sides of her shirt. She wore brown pants with pockets at the knees and green and white shoes, a white hooded jacket with green stripes on both arms and a green number 10 on the right side and an alien-looking watch on her left wrist. Unsurprisingly, she and Alex had the same dilemma of being switched genders. And Glenda's character is a character no modern kid wouldn't recognize. EVER. From the bratty but loyal kid from the first titled season to the I'm-so-shocked-he-matured-so-much version of the second and third titled season to the current iteration which combined the qualities of past season titles. Except SHE is a HE now.

Maria's form was corpulent, grotesque and appalling. A massive hulk of unnatural flesh atop three pairs of spider-like limbs, two tears across the stomach revealed a mouth and the face was charred and skull-like, wholly inhuman, disproportionate but fitting to the hideous appearance. A great sigil-like growth was atop the back, like a banner of an overlord. The excess of valuable accessories adorning the putrid mass did little to make it pleasant to the eyes but the air sizzling with dark and forbidden power hinted Maria's transformation a demonic heritage. A heritage worthy of an overlord of the Burning Hells.

Kit was just as worse as Maria's if not more. Though unlike Maria's blobby and oozing flesh, Kit's was rotting and diseased and both were just as gargantuan. He stood like a monolith. A monolith of a zombie. With a gigantic axe in both hands and an executioner's hood over his head, Kit shambled like a tower of flesh. Flies, maggots and worms adorned his rotten flesh and they danced upon him in a macabre feast. Although no smell came from him, they could tell it wasn't the same to others. The ground at Kit's feet was dying and the chilling sense of rot and putridity was emanating upon Kit's hulking form.

"Pfft!" the sound came. Sammy went down first followed by Carol and Marcus. Their gazes were locked unto Maria and Maria only. "WAHAHAHA!" the three laughed, collapsing on the ground in hysterical laughter. "Azmodan! Really?!" Sammy cried, tears of mirth coming from his eyes. "Well, at least you nailed it!" Alex said sympathetically, patting Maria and Kit off. "Wow. Heroes of The Storm's Azmodan." Alex said. He looked at Glenda. "And Ben Tennyson himself!" Alex said jubilantly.

She smiled awkwardly but bumped fists with Alex when he raised it. "Hey, queer queen. Who're you supposed to be?" Sammy said in between hysterical laughter. "Circe from Heroes of Newerth." Alex said, giving him a cold look. Sammy didn't see it though. Took another look at Maria and dissolved into mirth again.

"Oh-oh-oh. Me tummy. Me tummy." Carol laughed, clutching her stomach. They took another look at the unfortunate quartet then laughed again. Alex merely rolled his eyes at them.

He smiled upon their unfortunate quartet. "And you're supposed to be?" he asked, looking at Kit. Kit sighed, the movement of his body caused a shower of maggot and flesh to fall upon Alex's feet. Alex fought the urge to scream like a girl.

"I was going for any of the bosses from Gauntlet: Dark Legacy. Could've given me Skorne or Garm but I get this." Kit said sadly. "Well, if someone picks on me, at least I'll know just the guy for the job." Alex said. Though unseen under the executioner's hood, Kit smiled brilliantly.

"Alex, hug me." Glenda said. She just finished inspecting her new body. Only to find that it indeed was switched. Shocking discovery, I'm sure. Alex promptly hugged her. "There, there." he said melodically. Meanwhile… Maria hiccupped. "BWAHAHAHA!" the sound came. Maria, in Azmodan's body, clutched her hands to her chest, as she usually does, signaling she was near tears. "Stop it! I didn't ask for this!" she whined, voice breaking.

Unfortunately, that being said in Azmodan's voice earned her another bout of hilarity. "Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Oh, shit." Sammy laughed, tears freely pouring off his eyes. He and Carol were practically rolling on the ground. Marcus looked apoplectic with laughter.

"Very funny." Maria said, her voice breaking. The laughing continued. She began to bawl. "I hate you!" she cried. Instinctively, she thrust forward a hand and that did it.

The laughter immediately died as a blast of darkish death ray pulsed off Maria's hand and burned everything it touched _(It was just a few inches off a teary Carol's face. THAT definitely killed her laughter)_. "WHOA." Marcus said. "Wait. You mean these things are real?" he said. He raised a crossbow and inspected it. "Hey! Watch where you're pointing that thing!" Maria said as she landed directly in the line of fire. Marcus accidentally pressed the trigger. TWANG!

"OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD." Maria kept saying. The bolt had little effect on her though. Bounced off her demonic skin, it did. Thankfully. "Whoa!" Maria exclaimed. "Sorry." Marcus said apologetically. "YOU COULD'VE KILLED ME!" Maria screeched.

Several hell portals instantaneously opened and expelled demonic warriors who promptly chased Marcus' ass. "What the hell?!" Marcus said, breaking into a mad run. "Payback, little boy!" Maria said. She pouted and crossed her arms. "Any ideas what's going on?" Kit asked.

"We may be dead? We just took a falling star to the face." Alex said. His words stunned everyone else.

"WHATTTTTT?!" they exclaimed.

Alex sighed. "I'm not saying I'm sure we're dead. I'm just saying it might be a big possibility." Alex said. "Don't say things like that!" Carol howled. "We were sssoooooo young." Maria wailed. "Well. If this is heaven, I don't begrudge my demise!" Sammy said, shrugging his broad shoulders. Marcus glared at him. "We'll find out sooner or later." Kit said. "What do you mean?" Glenda asked. "Well. If we find someone familiar, we'll know where we are." Kit said. The others looked at each other.

"You mean our wish came true?" Alex said. Kit nodded. "It's loads better than the we-are-all-dead theory of yours." he said, grinning. Alex rolled his eyes at him. "Wait." he said. It dawned on him. "Katarina! Where were you before you woke up here?" Alex said. Lady Katarina looked at him, at them, like they were all insane.

"In Borgovia, of course. Van Helsing and I are tracking down Prisoner Seven. I told you not to trust that enigmatic, faceless man!" Lady Katarina said, giving Sammy a glare only one from nobility could. Sammy raised his hands in front of his chest in surrender. "She really thinks you're Van Helsing." Marcus said.

"Which means…" Carol said. "We're really each of our characters. We're really them." Kit said. With eyes wide with excitement, they began to experiment on their newfound powers to Alex's chagrin. Ten minutes later _(Lasted an eternity for Alex)_…

Marcus in shot bolts, bombs and rockets at every direction while shadow beasts rained their payloads down the skies.

Sammy, in Thaumaturge form, tried to outmatch him by calling down a blizzard and a lightning storm and a black hole.

Maria had already amassed an army of demonic warriors and hell generals while hell portals exploded around her to expel more.

Carol, meanwhile, was near to completing an exact replica of Elsa's ice castle as was seen in the film. Complete with a small cadre of ice creatures of varying sizes to guard it.

Glenda was busy scanning available transformations on the Omnitrix, whistling loudly every so often.

Kit, on the other hand, seems to want everything around him to look as rotten and disgusting. He was spitting infested organs here and there, relishing the numbers of monstrous maggots spawned off it.

Everyone was so engrossed with their powers that they haven't actually noticed the destruction they were causing. The crater around them had turned into a full-sized ravaged battleground. Like something nothing short of an apocalypse just passed by.

Alex and Lady Katarina, however, pouted nearby, their arms crossed over their chests, looking royally pissed. "You idiots don't know anything about surviving in foreign lands, do you?!" Alex finally screeched. That got everyone's attention. Sammy smirked. "What's that? Being a complete killjoy?" he said. "YEAH!" the others chorused. "Idiots." Lady Katarina muttered beside Alex. "It's-" Alex started. A humming sound stirred to roaring life. BOOOOOOM!

All of a sudden, a gigantic sphere of blue energy erupted all around them.

Armed figures, both humanoids and non-humanoids, ran through the force field, weapons and magic at the ready. Actually, they could name more than just a handful of Champions that were there. It wasn't important right now though. Everyone's faces screamed bloody murder. Suddenly, Sammy, Marcus, Carol, Maria, Glenda and Kit's magic destabilized and dissipated, their sorceries and summoned creatures disappeared in a wisp of smoke. They fell to the ground unconscious, forced into such position by an unknown force.

"Don't rile up the natives!" Alex finished in a terrified voice. As his friends lay helpless on the ground, explosions of light appeared all around, revealing robed people in its wake.

"By the authority of the Institute of War, you are all hereby detained for gross misuse of magic, unprovoked damage to property, acts of violence against a city-state and multiple counts of violations of Probatius Arcana Majoris sections I, IV, VIII and multiple counts of violations of Probatius Arcana Minoris sections VI, X, IX. Your crimes against Runeterra and her people will not be dismissed easily. Your crimes against the city-state of Demacia will not be dismissed easily." a Summoner said in a voice that towered over the clamor of chaos.

As Sammy, Marcus, Carol, Maria, Glenda and Kit were dragged off, each suspended in a null sphere, their captors noticed one thing. Alex and Lady Katarina were nowhere to be seen.


	2. Chapter 2- Lords And Ladies Part 1

**Chapter 2**

**Lords And Ladies**

**Part 1**

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**PLAYER 1: "THE TOWER"**

**Full Name:** Hunter Michael Dirk Samuel "Sammy" Aten Von Umbranox

**Age:** 19 yrs. old

**Description By Friends:** Tall, dark, sexy, talented, smart, overachieving, handsome and rich. TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE. Scion of the Von Umbrannox business empire. Currently infatuated with his idol Alex (No way in hell will he admit it though). Ongoing rivalry with Marcus. Prime catch for gold diggers and social climbers as well as perverts and never-do-wells. Obsessed with physical fitness and looks. Narcissistic at most times. Bratty and quite insensitive at most times. Affection-hungry to people he really loves. The more he loves you, the more chances he's gonna piss you off. Easily bothered and disturbed if the people he cares about refuse to interact with him. Unless it's an occasion, he rarely hands out gifts but when he does, boy-oh-boy, you're one lucky dog. We're talking expensive supreme here!

**Gamer Gameplay (Other Games):** Hit hard and hit fast. Always in the front. Loves to lead the charge. Tends to dive headfirst into trouble. Wants fast and speedy teammates who can respond just as fast and speedy. Has a big brother complex. Will bond with at least one player over the duration of the game and watch their backs. Then fill the entire game with moe-moe bromance nothing short of traumatizing. Makes you question your sexual orientation thereafter (Just a joke but…).

**LoL Gamer Gameplay:** Alpha male complex. Likes to broadcast on everyone in the game he's the toughest (He has the decency to hide it). Likes the fact that his team wins when he's around and fail when he's not (He has the decency to hide it). Willing to sacrifice itemization to boost a poor teammate's play. In other words, you can leech off him provided you'll show him you were worth it. Then both of you can ride off into the sunset. Insufferably loud and outgoing. Willingly works with noobs provided they show willingness to learn and cooperate. **ROLE AND PREFERENCE:** The Tank. Seizing the day and the game for his team. Not mention he gets to charge in there like a boss. Prefers Champions with a mix of defenses and crowd control abilities such as Cho'Gath, Malphite, Alistar, Leona and Shen. Never face him when he's playing as Darius, you'll regret it.

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**PLAYER 2: "DEATH"**

**Full Name: **Marcus Maxwell Ian Avignon-Hills

**Age: **19 yrs. old

**Description By Friends: **Brooding, secretive and mysterious. Attracts guys and gals who love vampires, werewolves, assassins, ninjas, demons, necromancer and all that dark and murky shit. Poster boy for the handsome-and-haunted-guys genre. Stalker-type guy with a very strong I'll-protect-you-from-afar/The-invisible-guardian-angel/Protector-in-the-shadows complex. Unless you're a friend, he won't bother talking to you or acknowledge your existence. Scion of both Avignon and Hills business empires. Currently infatuated with his idol Alex (No way in hell will he admit it though). Ongoing rivalry with Sammy. Loves nothing less than his well-practiced talent for anonymity. If he counts you as one of his real friends, expect a gift or two unfailingly every month.

**Gamer Gameplay (Other Games): **Has this badass General attitude. Prefers to waste opponents from afar. Excels in sniper and bombardment roles. The more tactical and challenging, the better. Will never say no to managing team resources or commanding manpower. Testy and difficult to work with in stressful situations. Moves toward the greater good of the team. If he gives the word, better follow it or you'll never hear the end of it.

**LoL Gamer Gameplay: **Strike-from-a-distance-then-close-in-for-the-kill strategy. Creates lots of difficulties for teammates who need his damage outright, not in sustained batches. Amazing compatibility with a team focused on sustained damage. Amazing team leader. Shows patience to everyone unless it's a troll or a showoff. Really knows the shit he's imparting to his teammates so expect his side to win even if he's teamed up with four noobs who cooperate. That was not a joke. **ROLE AND PREFERENCE: **The Marksman. Prefers Champions who rely on both their auto-attacks and abilities to be effective like Ezreal, Urgot, Corki, Graves and Miss Fortune. His Ace In The Hole Marksman? ADR Thresh. It's not funny for the enemy team.

* * *

**PLAYER 3: "TEMPERANCE"**

**Full Name: **Kit Vincent Sutherland Sheridan

**Age: **16 yrs. old

**Description By Friends: **Youngest but also the trickiest and the slyest of the bunch. Don't let his angelic blond looks fool you, his bark is just as bad as his bite, if not worse. Perfected the art of puppy eyes. Grandson #1. The-Best-Grandson-There-Ever-Was. Patron saint of grandmothers, spinsters, widows and lonely wives (May or may not imply dirty things. YOU DIDN'T HEAR IT FROM ME). Prefers to go with the winning team (That's why he picks Alex's side 99% of the times). Dangerous when angry. Even more so because he has black belts from multiple martial arts. The kind of person who stays true to his real friends. Likes to give loved ones with homemade art crafts and gifts and that's not because he's stingy. Homemade just means you're extra special to him. If you received pies/cakes/cupcakes/cookies/sweets from him, you're lucky because they're damn delicious.

**Gamer Gameplay (Other Games): **Angelic on the outside, demonic on the inside. Likes to lure people into a web of camaraderie and trustworthiness then devour them in the most parasitic way possible. Plays the damsel-in-distress routine to enemies then lure them to their demise. Loves it when people underestimate his character. All the more to make them suffer later. Will work with anyone provided they qualify.

**LoL Gamer Gameplay: **Loves to push enemies into the brink of overconfidence then crush them with humiliating defeat. Prefers to work with people he personally knows and has played with before. Silent-type gamer under most circumstances. Will prefer to do his part for the team rather than bark about it in chat. Has an issue with noobs and show-offs and bratty people and drama queen players. **ROLE AND PREFERENCE: **The Support. What better bait there is? No, seriously. Prefers Champions focused more on survivability and dishing damage like Braum, Blitzcrank, Galio and Dr. Mundo. When push comes to shove, never face him as Gnar or Sejuani or Nautilus. The perfect expression of baiting you up then beating you down.

* * *

**PLAYER 4: "THE FOOL"**

**Full Name: **Coralline Anne "Carol" Felicia Smith

**Age: **17 yrs. old

**Description By Friends: **A living storm. A living wall of sound. Madness incarnate. Sheogorath's spawn. Hyperactive girl from hell. The demon clown from beyond the grave. Loves fun, excitement and all forms of adventure. If rumors are to be believed, she's quite the male magnet and "bed bunny" (If you know what I mean). And the strings of despondent ex-boyfriends seem to bolster this claim. Can't stand still for a minute. A toddler has a longer attention span than her. Annoying but endearing. Hates backstabbers and traitors to the point where she brainwashed herself not to be one of them (Parental issues). Since she ever laid her eyes on Supernatural (Wincest fan extraordinaire), she's been dragging her best friends (Alex in particular) into all sorts of paranormal weirdness. If she counts on you as a real friend, she'll drag you into one of these trips as well. She's also the kind of person who'd wait 'til the last minute to buy you a gift. Most of the times, it's just that something that caught her eyes and was within reach.

**Gamer Gameplay (Other Games): **Loud and boisterous. Dominates the chatbox with emotes and tweets. Makes you wonder how the hell she chats and plays at the same time. Focuses more on being an annoyance to the enemy team. By the time she appears, enemies will see red and most likely go for her. Which is good for her team because that means the enemy's on her and not on them so they can beat them up good. Will work with anyone who doesn't trashtalk. But if you do, expect her to fight your fire with her hell.

**LoL Gamer Gameplay: **Annoying the enemy is her specialty. That talent is not only applicable to MOBAs. Which usually ends up riling trashtalkers into action. Which usually results in Carol either stepping up her annoyance or bashing them in their places. Which usually ends up with the enemy team engaging with at least one member missing. Which usually is the idiot who thought investing in trashtalking was beneficial. **ROLE AND PREFERENCE: **The Mage. Uses Yordle Champions only. No exceptions. Prefers Champions that can annoy the hell out of enemies throughout the game such as Ziggs, Kennen, Heimerdinger and Rumble. Her Teemo and Lulu usually starts the beginning of the Chat Wars I, II, III and so on and so forth.

* * *

**PLAYER 5: "THE HIGH PRIESTESS"**

**Full Name: **Maria Francesca Antoinette Syldivilia-Di Angelo

**Age: **18 yrs. old

**Description By Friends: **A saint who came several eras too late. Mary Sue-ish character. Every parent's dream daughter. Animal lover. Environmentalist. Ladylike. Prim and proper. A good girl who'll stand by her real friends come hell or high water. Despite being branded a born nun all her life (That includes her own relatives and family), she has sharp fangs of her own. Try pissing her off and you'll see, when the mask slips, just the tiniest view of a terrible monster behind it. Quite the little, dear manipulator too. Always pulling strings behind everyone's back. For gifts, she would always present books to her best friends. Books that the person it was given to would always find intriguing and prod their sense of wonder. Secretly obsessed with her friends', especially Alex's, lives (It's her soap opera).

**Gamer Gameplay (Other Games): **Silent but deadly. If it were up to her, she'd rather have someone do it than get her hands dirty. Believes actions are louder than words. Which means a person better be worth a cent of their bragging. Stays out of trouble most of the time. But fights like it's the end of the world. May end up bossing others at stressful situations. Will work with anyone provided they have an unfair advantage.

**LoL Gamer Gameplay: **New arrival to LoL. First time getting used to DoTA-esque because the first MOBA she ever played is Heroes of The Storm. Constantly whines why there are no mass-minion-summoning Champions in LoL. Like the Specialists in HoTS. Currently stuck with using Malzahar, Heimerdinger, Yorick and Azir 90% of the time. **ROLE AND PREFERENCE: **The Jungler or The Mage. In light of her being new, she's mostly delegated into the jungle. She'll be safe there 85% (May or may not be accurate) of the time. As was mentioned before, she uses Malzahar, Heimerdinger, Yorick and Azir (Jungler or Mage) mostly. But lately she's getting pretty good with Elise and Maokai.

* * *

**PLAYER 6: "THE HERMIT"**

**Full Name: **Glenda Summers McKinnon Campbell

**Age: **18 yrs. old

**Description By Friends: **If you have watched or read Teen Titans, she's the exact copy of Raven. From the emo-gothic look to the detached and collected demeanor. Just minus the OP powers. A nocturnal creature. Most of the time, she'll like to sleep during the day and go in activity at night. Takes her "Look before you leap, think before you act" motto seriously. WAY SERIOUSLY. The one girl you'll want to be with during a calamity, catastrophe or tragedy. She'll infect your with her aura of calmness. She's also creepy. An occult/paranormal/supernatural otaku. Has mastered the art of GLARING. She's already lined her gifts for her closest friends (Which is very few according to reliable sources) for the rest of their lives. Morally-acceptable clothes for Sammy. Tickets for leadership/business/management/strategy seminars for Marcus. Japanese anime mangas, discs, figurines and collectibles for Kit. Scooby Doo comics, magazines, discs, figurines and collectibles for Alex. RPG games especially Diablo and Elder Scrolls for Carol. Any fantasy book series for Maria. Developed a little sister-big brother complex with Alex.

**Gamer Gameplay (Other Games): **Cautious. Calculated. Will engage only if she knows she can win. Prefers to stay in the back of the team and deal damage and/or support from a safe distance. Has tendency to be engrossed to the game she's playing. Which leads to her to forget communicating with her team. Plays the game for the fun of it. Also unanimously the person you'd want to have on your team when you're in on a pinch. She can help everyone pull it together. Without all that drama.

**LoL Gamer Gameplay: **Reflecting her no-unnecessary-risk attitude, she's also careful in LoL. Despite being new to LoL, she's good at it. Has some sort of Midas touch meaning she plays any MOBA without looking like a total noob. That was not a joke. Plays safe while dishing out as much damage as she could. Spammer-type player. Will not engage more than two enemies at a time unless she knows she can beat them. Not picky which role she plays as long she could play a favored Champion that way. **ROLE AND PREFERENCE: **The Mage. Whether pitted against one enemy or five of them, she makes sure she either kills at least one or deals enough damage to bring them down with her. Prefers Champions who can enter for the kill fast and exit just as quickly such as Fizz, Ahri, Lissandra and Katarina. If all else fails, she'll bring out her surefire win Champions: Zyra and Morgana.

* * *

**PLAYER 7: "WHEEL OF FORTUNE"**

**Full Name:** Alex Solomon Cairn Killikan

**Age: **17 yrs. old

**Description By Friends: **Queen of Queers (Sammy). Mysterious Beauty (Marcus). Grandma (Kit). Eldar Farseer (Maria). Jyggalag (Carol). Smarts (Glenda). TRAPS, TRAPS EVERYWHERE and the ultimate TRAP (The rest of the world). The most sensible person in the gang. The voice of reason that's mostly ignored. Despite being the brunt of every joke, he commands TONS of affection. If Maria's called the nun, he's the mother superior (Or the Popess if people are really pissed off). His grandfather called him the perfect expression of feminine beauty (Imagine that). Years later, his prophecy came true (To everyone's horror). He loves to gift useful and essential utility items to his friends. So expect a deluge of Swiss knives, pepper sprays, taser guns, first aid kits, emergency lights, survival kits, survival guides and even portable miniaturized sections of your home (How he does that no one knows).

**Gamer Gameplay (Other Games): **Small but terrible. Prefers to leave the brunt of the work to his teammates if he thinks they can do a better job than him. He mainly rotates around teammates, supporting them beyond the call of duty. He's like the moon orbiting the earth in that way. Loves to be martyred for the sake of being sainted. The type of person who does unselfish things in-game for the sake of hoarding praises from teammates. Likes to think of himself as some kind of guardian angel to his team. While his team is probably rolling their eyes all the time.

**LoL Gamer Gameplay: **A martyr. A saint. Makes a Joan of Arc out of every Champion he ever plays. Sticks to anyone nearest to him like fish to water. Being new to LoL doesn't hold him back from doing serious buttkicking. Complains a lot about Support problems though (It's like being a witch in the Middle Ages, he says). **ROLE AND PREFERENCE: **The Support. The Yang to the Yin. The Spring to the Winter. The wind beneath their wings. Prefers Champions with the capability of becoming healing and life-saving machines such as Sona, Soraka, Nami, Janna, Kayle and Taric.


	3. Chapter 3- Decisions, Decisions

**Chapter 3**

**Decisions, Decisions**

* * *

**League Council Hall **

**Institute of War**

**Valoran**

**Runeterra**

**1:40 p.m.**

* * *

"Damage to property approximately 34,000,000.00 gold not including the cost for rehabilitation, relocation and refocusing the destroyed forceshield crystals. Flora and fauna of Telhadrin Wildlife Preserve will be temporarily relocated to designated areas at Ionia, Bandle City and Piltover." a hooded Summoner droned on and on. He was about to go about the "exciting" facts about the native flora and fauna when…

"Yes, yes, we know. Summoner Lexis, would you kindly skip to the part where you're supposed to talk about our guests?" a woman said. In the meeting of the League Council, where everyone who held sway and influence over the League gathered and reflected, she sat among the higher seats in the ornate chamber, indicating her prestigious role as High Summoner. Her robes also indicated her Noxian origins.

This roused a clamor of approval and disapproval in the hall.

Approval from delegates from Noxus, Bilgewater and Zaun rung and a bout of disapproval from delegates from Ionia, Demacia, Piltover, Freljord and Bandle City. Atop the floating seats reserved for the Council of Equity, the League's governing body, came a rumbling sound. Vessaria Kolminye had just conjured the sound of a thunder that instantly brought down the commotion.

"I understand your impatience, High Summoner Aldewnte. But-" she said. "Forgive me if I cannot bring myself to find the enthusiasm to listen how valuable the feces of an, uh, Avanis Verthop _(Summoner Lexis reddened in embarrassment)_ but I think the most important thing in this meeting is to determine the fates of our guests, right?" Aldewnte interrupted. "Hear! Hear!" echoed her fellow Noxian Summoners. Vessaria narrowed her eyes at the impertinent Noxian. "Very well. It's not like people from gods know where appear from the remnant of a ball of fire happen every day." Vessaria said.

There were murmurs of disapproval all over the hall. Aldewnte made a mocking smile which earned her a baleful look from the Demacians who were glaring at her. At a snap of a finger, Summoner Lexis drew up a number of scrolls and parchments.

"Here we are. Around approximately between 2:00-3:30 p.m. yesterday, a giant sphere of unidentified energy appeared above the Demacian skyline. Before it made impact, the motherload had split five smaller orbs. The majority of the mass landed in the heart of the Telhadrin sanctuary. The other four spheres were lost on radar. The Telhadrin sphere reportedly expelled the offenders. And the rest was history. The personages identified then proceeded to destroy the entire area. Blatantly, I might add. Our prisoners have yet to awaken." Summoner Lexis said.

"I disagree. From the specter recording I saw, it looked like they used it for the first time." Aldewnte said. Again, the attention was on her. "Psychological hints on their faces. They looked like they wielded it for the very first time." she added. With the graceful wave, she bade Lexis to continue.

"We have apprehended six of the eight of the offenders. The other two is still at large. Also, all efforts to confiscate items in their person failed. We deduced that they share an inherent bond with their equipment." Lexis said.

"Which brings us to the most important matter." Aldewnte said. Again, she commanded attention. "I and my personal advisors believe that these foreign individuals are of great significance. Not only were they commanding magic yet to be seen projected in massive scale or altogether not seen in Runeterra at all but the two escapees pose a very powerful curiosity." she said. "What would that be?" High Summoner Avariss of Demacia said. He asked the question everyone was thinking.

"The Null Dome is a complex magic predating the Rune Wars. Even during the Rune Wars, its procedure is not easily deployed. In the age of the League of Legends, it is under Level 10 Class S section. Certain powerful individuals can pull off the Null Dome but only to a smaller degree. Yesterday was on a scale of a Rune War. And yet two individuals, whom we know little to no information as of now, escaped from it." she said imperiously. The hall went deathly silent. The weight of her words sunk faster than a doomed ship.

"The Null Dome. The ultimate negation spell." a summoner from Bilgewater said, his eyes wide.

"Its application is legendary. Successfully casted, it will create a sphere from which within magic of any degree will be negated. The stronger the magic of those trapped inside it, the more susceptible they are to it." Lexis said dutifully, his voice ringing over the disturbed silence.

"What are the implications of this development, High Summoner?" Avariss said. Aldewnte nodded respectfully. "Honestly? I don't know. But the likelihood of the two escapees coming to the rescue of their imprisoned comrades is very high. I find it disturbing. The possibilities of what they can do." she said.

* * *

While the Council meeting proceeded, red mist seeped through into the cavern that situated the Institute of War. It funneled like a red carpet from the ground and the ceiling of the cave and blanketed the monolithic structure like field of bloody flowers. Champions and League personnel were deployed immediately by the Defense Department.

"This is strange, mister inventor!" Lulu, the Fae Sorceress said. She and Pix looked at the Revered Inventor himself beside them. The wise yordle had just finished placing a line of turrets at the very entrance of the Institute. "What is, my dear?" Heimerdinger said. Lulu and Pix fingered the red fog.

"This mist. It feels strange. It's spooky!" she said. She poked her staff into the fog and watched it envelop the staff head like it was dipped into something dark and murky. Lulu pulled it back with a gasp. She and Pix went to huddle next to Heimerdinger.

"Strange, isn't it?" the inventor said. Lulu and Pix raised both raised an eyebrow. They noticed a hextech device in Heimerdinger's hands. "Nothing registers on my mana detector. No components. No algorithms. No fluctuations. Nothing at all. It's like the mist isn't really there but there it is. Just in front of us. Curious and curiouser." the inventor said, peering through his thick glasses at the dancing mist. The three of them raised their heads at the sound of approaching footsteps.

"Miss Lux! Mister Garen!" Lulu squealed. "Ah! Lady Crownguard! Master Crownguard! The day finds you well, I hope?" Heimerdinger greeted. Garen chuckled, his deep voice echoing through the corridor. "We've been out all day at the Fields of Justice and now this. A Champion's work is never done." he said enthusiastically. His sister didn't share his energy. Lux looked like she needed a vacation very badly. And she looked like she could collapse any moment now.

"You've been drinking Hyper-hyper-hyper energy drinks all week, haven't you?" Lulu asked. Lux jerked. She nodded dumbly. "Hyper-hyper-hyper what now?" Heimerdinger asked.

"It's that new energy drink that showed up at food distributors here. People have been using it here 24/7 lately. Gives you a week's worth of energy, they say. Lets you work all night and all day, they say. Clearly, the last person who drank it wanted to pass around the bad luck." Lulu said.

"What do you mean?" Heimerdinger asked. They haven't noticed that every Champion in the corridor was listening intently. Drank the same thing too, the lot of them.

"Well, it'll give you a week's worth of energy, alright. And several month's worth of recovery. You'll go up like Zaunite rocket and go down like a Demacian penis." Lulu said. Garen gawked at her. Champions and personnel within earshot choked down their laughter. That didn't help some of their snorts from escaping though.

LULU! The last Champion you'd ever expect to curse or ever say a bad word!

"I heard that from Katarina. She drank an entire case last month." Lulu said quickly. At the mere mention of the name, red filled Garen's eyes. "Was *gibberish* criticizing *gibberish* anatomy *gibberish* lovemaking *gibberish*?!" he muttered under his breath. "Oh, here it comes." Heimerdinger said.

Their eyes locked on to Lux. She looked horrible. Like someone chew her up and spat her out very quite literally. "She went up like a Zaunite rocket." Lulu said. Lux swayed back and forth and after a minute, fell down and began to snore very loudly. "And went down like a Demacian- _(Garen glared at her)_" Lulu began. She shut up promptly and suddenly found Pix's wings very interesting.

Their antics were halted shortly when the billowing mist soared far and wide, creating a smokescreen of writhing swirls. Lux, however, was clearly out of commission. Not even a Rune War could wake her up now. "Can someone pick my sister's sorry arse and deposit it somewhere safe?" Garen said to no one in particular. As usual, a League personnel met his demands right on cue. No thank you, I might add.

"Here it comes." Garen said, a sparkle of excitement lit his eyes. Suddenly, from within the mist, something charged at Garen. Something large clad in shining armor and brandishing a massive sword as if it were weightless. Something- "WHAT THE BLAZES?!" Garen said. He clashed swords with an image of himself. Both locked into each other, mirroring each other's expressions.

"I'll save you, mister Garen!" Lulu yelled. Only to be turned into a harmless creature by an image of herself surfacing from the mist. Slowly, turn by turn, an image of a Champion present walked out of the mist and did battle with the same Champion. "This is weird!" Wukong yelled as both deployed decoys and spun into a concussive whirlwind at the same time, completely in sync. "You're telling me!" Heimerdinger said, scrambling from his wall of turrets when his image launched a barrage of rockets. "HOLD THEM DOWN!" a nearby Adjudicator yelled before his image blasted him with a fireball.

Above, two Kayles, swords ablaze and bathed in golden light, battled futilely. Corkis launched missiles at each other and Syndras outdid each other's dark sphere barrages, to the horror of everyone beneath. "This is useless! It's a stalemate!" Kayle yelled. Heimerdinger's eyes widened.

"Eureka!" he said. "Everyone! On the count of three, take on a different target! Ignore your image and pick another one!" he said. "One!" the word rung. "Two!" every Champion and personnel poised. "THREE!" they yelled like a battle cry and switched opponents.

At that same moment, the mist swirled again. For a few moments, the strategy worked.

A giant Lulu squashed a cupcake false Garen under a hail of Pix's bolts.

Heimerdinger's turrets and rockets eradicated an invisible false Wukong before the chimp could escape.

Syndra buried a false Corki under a deluge of dark spheres.

Garen's embodiment of Demacian justice cleaved false Kayle apart.

Wukong, atop his nimbus cloud, brought low false Syndra with swift blows before the sorceress could react.

Corki's blazing guns and unrelenting rockets blew up false Lulu before she could transfigure him.

Kayle, protected by holy light, dove straight into false Heimerdinger's barrage and delivered a lethal blow.

By the time it ended, Champions were panting. Adjudicators resorted into using high level magic, bringing their images down and injuring themselves in the process. They all felt like they went through hell and looked like it.

As Kayle flew up and called down a rain of holy light to heal them, the mist parted again and what it revealed made the survivors cringe in fear. Five images of Baron Nashor grinned menacingly down at them. "By the gods!" Kayle said, eyes wide with horror.

"Defense, we need back-up! This sector is compromised! The assault is too much!" an Adjudicator screamed even though he was sending a message telepathically. A testament of fear, it was. The response made him fall to his knees in despair. "What is it? What did they say?" another asked. The Adjudicator just shook violently.

"Speak up, man! Spill it!" Garen said, shaking him. The man looked up at the imposing Demacian. "They can't send reinforcements! They said Baron Nashor images sprung up at other sectors as well! We're on our own! They're calling for help from city-states and we're to wait until they arrive!" the man said. His words dealt a lethal blow to their morale.

"What's worse is that the Council is still trying to quell down their false images as of this moment!" the man continued. There it is. The coup de grace. Garen's fist slammed down on the man's face, sending him face first into the ground.

"We're the League of Legends, you cowards! We are the enforcers of Valoran's peace! _(People gazed at him admiringly)_ If you're whining already to this kind of threat, then come hell or high waters, you're a disgrace to your uniforms!" Garen roared. "If Katarina could see him now." Lulu whispered to Pix and Heimerdinger, giggling. Both of them flashed her a thumbs up. "If any of you cowards are ready to run, do so. We'll hold them off here as best we can." Garen said.

"WOW." Wukong whistled loudly. "Seems like someone made up our minds for us." Syndra echoed. Garen blushed. "Throw me a freaking bone here! I'm trying to be cool here!" he yelled, smiling despite himself. The Champions grinned. "If we destroy those things, Graggy Ice's on me." Corki yelled excitedly. "HUGEFY!" Lulu yelled, turning herself and the rest of the Champions into giants. An idea popped in her head and she smiled widely. She whistled, making everyone look at her.

"Lookie here, guys." she said, waving three pieces of pink papers with girly-girly handwritings on them. "These are "I-owe-you-a-favor" slips. Person who has this gets to have the person whose name's in it to do anything for them. I'll give this to the person who deals most damage to those Barons." Lulu said. "Whose name's in it?" Wukong asked, perking up at the offer.

"Ahri's." Lulu smirked devilishly. The very name sent jolts of anticipation down every male's spine and, more importantly, to their crotches.

"CHARGEEEEEE!" every male yelled, hormones and all. "Men!" Syndra and Kayle said derisively.

* * *

Meanwhile…

Sounds of distant fighting, explosions and struggling resounded deep into the Institute's deepest recesses. In the dungeon-esque holding facilities, four Adjudicators tasked with guarding the prisoners gazed nervously at the reinforced door. Newly-promoted as they are, they haven't had any experience of chaos of this caliber. While the League did command many of the most powerful beings in all of Runeterra, the events above the surface seem to put that into question.

Carol groaned as she finally woke up. Clutching her head, she felt like that exact same feeling when she ate expired Sparkling Sparkly Sparkles candy drops. "Hey, Carol. Good of you to drop by." Marcus greeted her. Carol jerked. She saw Demon Hunter Marcus, Van Helsing Sammy, HoTS Azmodan Maria, Ben 10 Glenda and Gauntlet: Dark Legacy Kit sitting inside cages of upwind energy.

"Man, I thought it was a dream!" she said perkily. Her other friends chuckled. "Unconscious for two days, imagine that." Sammy said. Carol's eyes widened. "Me?" she said, pointing a finger to herself. She raised an eyebrow as well. Sammy made a circular motion with his finger, indicating all of them. Carol's eyes widened.

"Alex is sure taking his sweet time busting us out of here." she said indignantly. The others tried to stop her. Too late. The word's out. "What did you say, prisoner?" jailer #1 asked. "Nothing! She's still confused from everything! Right?" Maria said hastily. They all nodded. "No, you're lying! I know what I heard!" jailer #1 said. "This is your friend's doing?" jailer #4 demanded. "Maybe yes. Maybe no. I don't know. I just woke up. DUH!" Carol said.

The four Adjudicators looked at each other then at Carol. Because the four dolts were crowding around Carol's cell, they didn't see the others flash thumbs up and mouth "NICE SAVE!". "Defense, we might be-" jailer #4 said, concentrating hard to send a telepathic message. Suddenly, the fortified door crashed down without a warning.

Sand began pour into the room and shifted into soldiers. "Azir." Maria squealed, clapping her hands in excitement. Surely, the Emperor of Shurima entered.

The Ascendant drew inside the room, bringing sand and light in his wake. Spotting the Adjudicators, he sent the sand soldiers at their throats. "What's the meaning of this, Champion?! We're on the same side!" jailer #3 said indignantly. They raised a shield just in time to break the tips of the spears. "Silence! I have been sent here, saying that this hall is compromised! That this has been breached!" Azir said.

The Adjudicators looked at each other in shock. "No, it wasn't! We haven't had any activity here!" jailer #2 insisted. Azir lowered his staff for a moment as if weighing their words. He raised it back. "Lies! How do I know that you are not false images?" he said.

The Adjudicators looked at each other again in panic. They had to figure out something before Azir put them to the spear. "I thought so!" Azir said. "NO! DON'T! WE'RE NOT LYING!" jailer #4 cried. Weird. The moment he yelled that it felt like two of them said it. Their eyes widened and swerved to the right.

Right next to them, they stared at their own reflections as if gazing upon a mirror. Except there was no mirror. They were staring at their false images. "What the hell?!" Sammy, Marcus and Kit exclaimed in unison, unable to believe their eyes. "Deception!" Azir declared. Suddenly, shimmering orbs of light descended from above the ceiling swiftly and silently.

It went after the Adjudicators, slammed against them, carried them to the air and sent them crashing against the walls with a bang. The four men fell to the floor, unconscious. The orbs of light remained and danced around Azir.

"Did Azir always have that ability?" Carol asked Maria. "I'm pretty sure no. He's sand-themed." Maria said suspiciously. Azir grinned as only an Ascendant could. He walked over to them then his visage dissolved in swirling red mist into-

"KATARINA!" they exclaimed in relief and gladness. Lady Katarina gave them a big smile. "Carol! Glenda! Maria! Sammy! Marcus! Kit!" she said, memorizing. She identified each one of them accurately. "Alex explained to you everything?" Glenda asked, realizing everything. Lady Katarina nodded. "Since you're not Van Helsing, I'm quite free to do as I please. Though I'm still stuck to you." she said, looking grimly at Sammy who grinned at her.

"Step back!" Lady Katarina said. They obeyed and watched as Lady Katarina morphed into a phantom resembling a humanoid thorn. Lightning flowed from her palm and directed it to the cages. The others watched in awe as the energy danced along the walls, the floor and the cells itself. Along with her wisps, she hammered into the cells 'til they broke. With a mighty crash, the runes of dungeon, the ones that powered the cells, began to crumble and break. With a dying hum, the barriers ceased to be.

"That's better!" Marcus said. He and the others stepped out of their cells. "One more thing." Lady Katarina said. She touched Glenda, Kit and Maria. They began to shimmer, fade in and fade out for several moments. "What did you to them?" Marcus asked. Lady Katarina smirked. "Just watch." she said.

Glenda, Kit and Maria returned to focus. They- They returned looking normal. Pretty normal. "Corrected gender?" Carol said. Glenda and Maria _(Female Azmodan. Just add a bra to the male one and- *bleurgh*)_ returned as their correct genders. "Alex called it a reset." Lady Katarina explained. "What about me? What's new about me?" Kit asked.

"Whoa, Kit, you never told us you're actually a girl." Sammy said. That earned him a slap on the back that sent him face-first into the ground. "You'll see later." Lady Katarina said. "What's happening up there?" Sammy asked. Lady Katarina actually laughed. "Alex is making a distraction! I've never had so much fun in my unlife!" she giggled.

Apparently, Alex earned her respect and affections over the duration of two days. "I think I get it." Sammy said. "Well, we wanted to become our favorite characters, right?" he said. His friends nodded yes.

"We came here as them. Van Helsing is male. The Demon Hunter has a male version. The Lich is male also. Elsa is female. That's why nothing went wrong with us. We just wore into their identities without changing who they are. Glenda asked for Ben who's a male. Maria for Azmodan who's also a male. Alex's character is also female. That's why they got a wrong game start." Sammy said.

The others followed him on that.

"But if we are our characters, wouldn't we get their strengths as well as their weaknesses?" Marcus asked. "That's true." Lady Katarina confirmed. "So, how the hell is Alex making all the shit up there? Messing up everything? Turning everything upside down? He's doing it like there's no tomorrow." Sammy asked. Glenda clapped her hands together. "Smarts is Circe!" she said. "We know that already!" Carol said. Glenda rolled her eyes at them.

"No. You guys don't understand. You don't play HoN, that's why!" she said. "So, what? What's Circe's weakness? We've got to get over to Alex before they catch him!" Sammy snapped. "You do know there isn't anything from a MOBA game that hasn't at least single, exploitable weakness." Marcus said. Glenda rolled her eyes again.

"Smarts IS Circe! In Heroes of Newerth lore, Circe is a GODDESS!" Glenda said jubilantly.

The others were stunned. The next moment, they were weeping happily. "Man, I love that queer!" Sammy said. "We owe him more than we could every say!" Carol joined. "But, of course, we ain't telling him nothing. God knows his ego's big enough." Maria finished. The friends nodded. "Yosh! Let's get over to Alex before we give him more reason to look down on us!" Marcus yelled, fisting the air. "YEAAAHHH!" the others chorused.

"AAALLLEEEXXX!" Sammy, Marcus, Carol, Glenda and Kit yelled as they rampaged through every corridor like wild bulldozers. Lady Katarina, who floated just a little behind them, pretended she didn't know any of them. The corridors were eerily silent, devoid of any presence. "What's happening? Where did everybody go?" Carol chirped. The others shrugged.

"I don't know. Maybe Alex pulled a Croatoan here or something." Glenda said. "Before he sent me after you, he said he had some business to attend to." Lady Katarina supplied. "Well, whatever that is, I hope he's not into trouble." Marcus said. "Wait!" Lady Katarina suddenly yelled. They looked back at her and saw the ghost looking up above.

"This corridor is directly above the cavern halls. If we break into the surface through here, it'll save a lot more time." she said. "How do we get there?" Carol asked. Glenda smiled devilishly. "We just have to be WAY BIG." she said. Before anyone could stop her, Glenda slammed the Omnitrix into full gear.

* * *

Meanwhile…

"I'm looking forward to a most agreeable response." Alex said serenely. Around him, the Council of Equity, Emissaries of the League and high-ranking Summoners gaped at him.

Minutes before…

"What on earth are these things?!" Vessaria demanded. Both she and her false image were locked on in a magical duel, a beam of arcane energy between them tried to outdo each other. The battle was confusing. They didn't know whose side was winning because, frankly, they didn't even know who's on their side. Much less who's real and who's not. In perfect sync, each mage and his/her false image launched magic at each other. It was a battle of endurance. "We're almost out of Mana but these things look like they never run out of it!" one Summoner said.

Then suddenly everyone went still. Their body and their magic froze on the spot, unable to do anything. They notice wisps of red mist swirling about their bodies like surreal chains. Whilst their false images moved freely, everyone thought their imminent demise. But none came.

"I'm so sorry to have to do this but I don't leave anything to chance." an unfamiliar voice said. The mist coalesced and formed into an image of an alien creature. Alex, still as Circe but in male form this time, held the disbelief and awe of everyone in the room. "You're all currently in my Dark Imprisonment. If you swear you won't hurt me, I'll release you all. Agreed?" he said. Alex snapped his fingers and everyone was mobile again.

A horrified High Summoner, however, lifted a hand to send magic bolts at Alex. The Summoner gasped as his magic waned and found himself surrounded by four of false images of himself, all of them with lethal spells ready. "Don't make me hurt you." Alex said. He called off the images with a wave of his hand. His calm voice carried more threat than his act itself.

"Now, I'm sure you're all positively brimming with questions. I'll answer that later. Can I have my friends back?" Alex said. "What are you?" Vessaria asked. Alex looked at her for so long that she actually felt uneasy. "I'm just someone who has to deal with the idiots you have currently locked up." Alex said simply. "I know what they did was wrong but if you allow me, I can repair the damages." he said. Red mist flew off Alex's hand and filtered on the floor. It rose up and shaped into an elegant throne and Alex sat on it.

"You can sit down. I'm not going to hurt you." he said. Some Summoners complied, others still stood. They all looked at him with a mixture of awe, fear, fascination, distrust and interest. "Pray tell, how did you come to wield such magnificent power?" Aldewnte said, her eyes wide with questions. Alex gave a look like she was some pesky fly. "Try falling from the sky." he said sarcastically. That earned him a murmur of approval from the Demacians.

There were few people who would publicly miff Aldewnte given her family's political background. A look of displeasure came across her face. "It would be advisable to show respect to me, creature." she said. She suddenly found herself surrounded by false images of herself, bearing upon Aldewnte her own haughty, prideful, you're-only-a-fly look. It was an uneasy feeling.

"It would be advisable to use your head, creature. I just single-handedly brought your Institute to disarray. What makes you think you're any stronger than me?" Alex said. He and the Noxian stared hard at each other for several moments. For the first time in her career, Aldewnte was the first to look away.

"I'm not telling you anything about who we are and where do we come from. We're not Champions for your League. We're just a few unfortunate souls who got terribly lost. You only have my word that we mean you no harm. However, I do realize that we've started off the wrong foot." Alex said.

The Council of Equity members looked at each other. They suddenly found themselves growing respect for this alien. "I've taken the liberty to bust my friends out of here but I don't want to burn any more bridges so I decided to level it with you." Alex said.

"You terrorized the Institute of War then brought down our prided defenses then rubbed the humiliation of incompetence on our faces then you removed your friends from their imprisonment by force and you expect us to understand?" one hooded figure from the Council of Equity said incredulously. Alex gave them an impish smile.

"Yes." he said. The Summoners huffed. Alex smiled inwardly. He knew he was prodding them in the right direction.

"I can't say sorry enough for the damage my friends caused the Demacian preserve. I can, however, restore it to its former glory. My friends meant you, your nations, your authority, your order and your rights no harm. We're not looking for trouble even though we ran into it headfirst. If you allow it, may I propose a deal?" Alex said.

Everyone in the hall stared at him, their mouths agape. He was proposing a deal?! THE NERVE! A semblance of a smile crossed Vessaria's face and the rest of her colleagues. "Let's hear it." she said. That caused even more surprise and shock than Alex's words. "I call a truce and a treaty between us, one that will both beneficial to our sides:

1\. The League will grant us full pardon for whatever deeds interpretable as crimes, applicable only to the current accusations at hand.

2\. The League will grant us sanctuary for the duration of our stay here.

3\. If within bounds, we may ask each other favors, which is to be discussed with people of one or both sides.

4\. The League will not attempt to harm us directly and indirectly and we swear the same to you.

5\. The League will serve as our guide, protector and arbiter for our interaction with this world.

That's all." Alex said, raising a finger for each of his demands. The Council of Equity was stunned. This right before them had the makings of a political megamind. "Interesting. What do you offer in return?" Vessaria asked. She just stunned everyone in the room. So, she was considering it?! Alex smiled a predator's smile. "I shall lend you treasures from my collection, lend you our aid for important matters and lend you our aid for as long as it takes so long as you remain a faithful and committed partner." he said. That got a number of looks and sounds of derision.

Alex placed a hand to his mouth in an act of mock sorrow.

"Perhaps you'd like to see the goods I'm peddling?" he said. Red mist gathered off the floor and vacuumed downwards, forming a whirlpool of bloody colors.

From within, Alex summoned an ancient tome. So far, nothing looked special about it. Every person in the hall gasped as Alex opened the book. It felt like a tidal wave of Mana tided over them. It filled their bodies, their bones, their blood and their flesh. It sang like a thousand choruses that made them alive with raw magic.

Alex saw greed and instant desire grow in the eyes of many of them. "So, Noxians aren't the only power-hungry people here after all." Alex thought. He closed the book and the feeling ended. It left them feeling empty than before, like a dam running on empty. "That's just one of the things I can lend to you." Alex purred.

"ENOUGH!" a voice suddenly broke over the silence. It was High Summoner Avariss. He was beet-red with rage and indignation. "Coming here, sowing trouble and panic then wagging this thing in front of us! We're not mice you can play around with! Who the hell do you think you are?!" he thundered. An aura of wafting yellow energy emanated from him, giving a look of an avenging angel.

Alex smirked. "Me? I'm just a GOD passing through." he said sweetly. Bingo! His words cut through Avariss' machismo like a hot knife through butter. He looked positively thunderstruck. "What?" he blustered. Alex smiled innocently.

"You're just all mad. Sleep on it." Alex said. He put a finger to his cheek thoughtfully.

"You know, I don't think you weigh in fully the situation you're in. So let me help your little brains. Had I wish to annihilate you, I would have done so immediately. But there's no fun in that. You think your little League is perfect? Just as they say: where light goes so do the shadows. Where power gathers, usurpers, users and abusers aren't far behind. Your League is a meeting place for every power-hungry bitch out there and if you claim they don't exist here, you're more stupid than I thought. Getting rid of you may be a favor for Runeterra in more ways than one. And of course, there are the dissenters. People outside of your jurisdiction and those who plainly refuse to acknowledge it: people who, frankly, would terminate your League in a HEARTBEAT _(Alex snapped his fingers when he said that)_. Your League isn't perfect. A million years too early to claim it to be godlike. You've seen what I can do. Who knows what happens if my collection "accidentally" falls into some of those people's hands? Imagine all the fun they could do!" Alex said melodically.

He smiled as Avariss looked positively aghast. Aldewnte looked like she desperately wanted to say something and was fighting the urge to do so. Vessaria and the rest of the Council of Equity had perfect poker faces. Otherwise, Alex was satisfied as his point sunk in. "I offer my offer only twice. Refuse again and it goes to someone else. Preferably someone who can keep you distracted from us." Alex said. With a flick of his wrist, the doors of the chamber opened and he made his exit.

Alex commanded the Baron Nashors off. The crimson mist was slowly disappearing from the cavern that situated the Institute of War. Around him, personnel, Summoners, Adjudicators and Champions swarmed about. All of them tried hard to make a semblance of an understanding of what just happened. They scattered around like ants without a queen. In the confusion, Alex was almost invisible. He passed by several Champions he recognized and two in particular caught his attention.

"Lux! Lux! LUX! LUX! Talk to me, baby!" a voice cried desperately over the clamor. The Prodigal Explorer. Holy crap! "He's not as tall as I imagined him to be but he's just as cute." Alex thought to himself. "Lux, baby, you're gonna be okay, you hear me?! Don't you dare leave me! Don't go towards the light!" Ezreal said. As if on cue, Lux's hand fell from Ezreal's grasp, motionless.

"NNNOOOOOO!" Ezreal wailed. Alex rolled his eyes.

"She's just asleep, you moron." Alex couldn't resist saying as he passed by them. Again as if on cue, Lux snored loudly. Ezreal blushed deeply. "Oh, right. Haha. I knew that." the boy said smartly. He looked at the person who piped into his tirade.

Ezreal beheld the alien creature before him. What alarmed him most was the red mist that danced off of him. No one in his right mind would ever forget the red mist after an encounter with it.

"You're lucky Garen's not around. He'll definitely smack you when he sees your hands around his sister." Alex said. Ezreal gaped at him. Seeing how freaked out the boy was, Alex held a finger to his lips. "Ssshhh…" he said, batting his eyelashes at him.

Ezreal could only gape as the creature walked away. He felt a tide of color surfacing his cheeks. The warmth spread throughout his body. Ezreal was blushing like a lovesick schoolboy. This never happened before. "Oh, gods, what's happening to me?" Ezreal said. He jumped up and followed after the mysterious figure, dropping Lux on the floor with a thud. "MORE IMPORTANTLY: WAS THAT A GUY OR A GIRL?!" Ezreal thought.

Alex, meanwhile, was thinking of something else.

"If my calculations are correct, it'll be several minutes before they recover from my insults then they'll go up in an uproar then the smart ones will reign them in then they'll calm down and think sensibly then they'll weigh in my words then they'll start to panic then big bosses will convene then they'll spout about the greater good then they'll devise that it's better to keep tabs on us then smartass will add her stuff about the positive things then indignant guy will second her then peeps will come in to tell them what happened then they'll decide unanimously…" Alex said, patting himself mentally every step of the way.

You probably have an idea how black Alex's heart is by now. You're getting there, give or take a few.

**"****5!"** Ezreal saw the alien down the stairs.

**"****4!"** The Prodigal Explorer chased down after the alien, just throw in a glass slipper and you're all set for Cinderella.

**"****3!"** Ezreal yelled for the alien. "Mysterious Beauty!" the call came.

**"****2!"** Alex stilled for a moment, suddenly pissed. "WHY THE HELL IS THAT WHEREVER I GO, IT'S ALWAYS A 'MYSTERIOUS BEAUTY' AUTOMATIC?! GODDAMNIT!" Alex thought angrily.

**"****1!"** Alex swerved back to send a sharp reprimand when four figures appeared out of thin air, arriving with a flash of light.

Suddenly, a wild banana peel appeared. IT'S SUPER EFFECTIVE! "WHOA!" Ezreal slipped off a step, tumbling down. "Creature! We have to talk!" Vessaria said as she and three other figures appeared out of thin air. "LOOK OUT!" Ezreal yelled as he barreled off the figures, taking three down with him.

"Wow. Didn't see that coming. Didn't plan it either." Alex said as he watched all four of them bounce down the stairs like balls. "Klutz." Vessaria said under her breath. Alex smiled and looked back at her. "That was fast." he said sweetly. This time, Vessaria smiled back just as sweetly. It made Alex a little bit worried.

"I call your bluff. We figured it out." Vessaria said. Now Alex was definitely worried. He raised an eyebrow. Vessaria's smile widened considerably. Now Alex was mentally praying this was not happening. "I think you got the wrong person." he said nonchalantly.

Vessaria watched the boy before her slowly crumble. She couldn't believe it. Aldewnte had insisted for a bluff in front of the creature that just confronted them. She said that there were inconsistencies in his intentions and his actions were clearly non-malevolent despite all that violence. She said there was a bigger picture.

Vessaria didn't believe it at first. She made a risk to go with the Noxian's plan. Had it been a mistake, Vessaria knew she would've paid for it with her life or worse. Now, she couldn't believe her eyes. There was a semblance of a doubt in the boy.

Now, she knew for sure that the boy hadn't meant any of his previous words. It was just a bluff, one that they all nearly, VERY NEARLY, bought. "If you needed help, you could have just asked." Vessaria said.

Alex stared hard at her. Too hard, I might add. Too long. Enough to make Vessaria uneasy. "Are you sure about that? I don't want to force you into something you're going to regret later." Alex said after a long sigh.

Vessaria regained her normal grace and posture, having assumed control finally. "Let me tell you something: once you enter the deal with me, there's no going back. It's a binding contract. You'll be entering a deal with a god. One way in, no way out." Alex said. Vessaria saw absolute seriousness in the boy's eyes.

With his kind of power, it would be possible but she smiled. "Let us discuss this thoroughly then." she said.

Alex looked at Vessaria up and down then he decided. Even if the woman might turn out to be insincere or devious, she cannot go against a sworn oath, especially of the otherworldly kind. Only a fool would provoke forces beyond their understanding. "I think we're going to be great friends." Alex said.

He extended his hand and Vessaria shook it. In his eyes, Vessaria saw a cunning plan take form. She knew what he was capable of but she also knew that he would only betray if he were betrayed. She decided that this alien may make a brilliant foe and a very worthy one. Before Vessaria could say anything else, there was a rumble.

League personnel and Champions stood at the ready, already anxious as to what it was this time. Among the teleportation pentagrams, a crack in the rocks appeared then- KABOOOM!

A gigantic creature alien to the Runeterrans emerged forth with a victorious roar. Not Alex though. He knew what he saw. "WAY BIG?!" he exclaimed. "I mean it's cool to see Way Big for real but, holy crap almighty, is it scary!" Alex thought in panic. To add to his horror, his friends jumped off the Omnitrix alien. "Guys, over there!" Sammy yelled, pointing over to Alex's location.

"Oh, shit." Alex said.


	4. Chapter 4- Wander Over Yonder

**Chapter 4**

**Wander Over Yonder**

* * *

**League of Legends**

**Institute of War**

**Valoran**

**Runeterra**

**5:30 p.m.**

* * *

"Over there!" Sammy yelled as the gang jumped off a Way Big Glenda into the ground below.

They saw Alex surrounded by ruffians _(In their imagination)_.

They had him in on a bind _(In their imagination)_.

They had their hideous, claw-like hands around Alex _(In their imagination)_.

Alex was crying, tears pouring from his forlorn face _(In their imagination)_.

A perverted-looking Summoner groped his dirty, fat hands on Alex's chest _(In their imagination)_.

Alex cried out in helplessness _(In their imagination)_.

The others laughed maliciously as they gazed the son of a bitch defile pure Alex _(In their imagination)_.

"Wow. That's a pretty messed up imagination they got there." Maria said. Carol and Glenda nodded in agreement. Then the Omnitrix timed out and Glenda came back as her normal self. The girls watched as the guys charged, armed with self-deluded indignation and vengeance. "That's Alex for ya." Carol said proudly. The girls giggled at the boy's idiocy.

"DON'T WORRY, ALEX! WE'LL DEFINITELY SAVE YOU!" the three yelled.

Marcus stretched his arms and shadow beasts emerged from the darkness while he readied his rockets, side cannons and grenades.

Sammy reached his hand into the air, focusing with all his strength to call down a meteor from the skies.

Kit summoned numerous graves in his wake and zombies and ghosts were freely pouring from them in droves.

Alex felt a vein tick. The Summoners looked positively stunned at the sheer amount of force that sprouted out of nowhere. This development doesn't appear all by itself every day, you know.

"Excuse me for a moment." Alex said, smiling apologetically to Vessaria. The woman nodded absently. Alex quickly descended down the stairs. He had no doubt what kind of mess his friends will pull off this time. "YOU IDIOOOOOOOOOTS!" Alex screamed with all his might.

To his friends, this was normal thing to come from a very pissed Alex. To the others though, it's shocking and disturbing the amount and volume of sound a little frail-looking girl-boy could produce. Hell, Alex's voice dominated the cavern. The Runeterrans who never saw anything like this before watched in shock and awe.

The boys, all adrenaline and machismo, who were charging like wild beasts performed an awesome ground slide, skidded roughly in the gravel and landed in a perfect groveling complete bow you'd normally see ONLY in mangas and animes.

"ALEX-DONO, HONTONI GOUMENASAI!" they cried miserably. Wow. They even switched languages in the face of Alex's wrath. "Ha-ha-ha!" Carol jeered. "Boys are such babies!" Maria added. The two, Glenda and Lady Katarina joined together in their haughty laughter. Alex sent them a dark look.

In a blink of an eye, too fast for even people who could perform magic, almost like teleportation itself, the girls, even Lady Katarina, assumed the same position as the boys.

"Can you ever find it in your magnificent and awe-inspiring self to look down upon the wretched us with compassion and forgiveness?!" Lady Katarina wailed. "Wow. He's even tamed a computer game character." Kit whispered to the others. "Maybe she pulled something we'd do!" Carol whispered back. In their position, they struggled to contain their laughter.

"Do you twits even have any idea what I've been through?!" Alex screeched. "What you've been through?! What about us?! We've been jailed for God's sake!" Marcus said. He swiftly returned to groveling at Alex's glare. "You've been jailed for two fucking days while I had to spend seven months figuring out what happened to us! I had to do it with trial and error!" Alex screeched.

"WHAT?!" his friends and everyone else exclaimed. Alex sighed. Great. He made a scene. Just what he really needed. "Let's discuss this later." Alex said weakly. He could feel the gaze of everyone boring into his back.

Alex turned to Vessaria with a gaze that snapped her out of her shock. She breathed in deep and gestured them to follow her. "Oh, wait." Alex said as if remembering something. He closed his eyes and concentrated and the fearful red mist, the one that was single-handedly wreaking havoc before, rose all around Alex. Champions and League personnel watched in both fear and awe as the mist convulsed and writhed.

Stretching his arms forward, Alex directed the mist to surge into a carpet, covering what was destroyed by his friends. The red mist began to thunder and lightning like storm clouds and then, with another gesture, the red mist disappeared. And in its wake, the destruction was nowhere to be found, as if it never happened in the first place.

With that, Alex corralled his stunned friends into following the stunned Vessaria.

* * *

Vessaria led them into the crowded hallways. From every vantage point, eyes seemed to be over them, poking from every window, every door, every crook and cranny. "I feel like a zoo attraction." Maria said. "Me too." Marcus said. "Me three." Carol added. "Alex and Sammy seem pretty calm." Kit pointed out. "We all know how those two attract attention. They're probably used to it by now." Glenda interjected.

"We can hear you, you know." Alex said in a singsong voice. "Aren't you guys disturbed?" Carol asked the moment she jogged to Alex. Her friend shrugged. "Just follow Sammy's lead." he whispered.

Hunter Michael Dirk Samuel "Sammy" Aten Von Umbranox swaggered about like a vainglorious peacock. That's the walk of a guy who knows what effect he has on people and he's not afraid to use it. "He's vanity is over the edge." Lady Katarina commented. "That's an understatement." everyone else chorused. "Sssooo…" Sammy said. He whirled around and looked at Alex in interest. "How did your seven months go?" he asked. Alex looked at him and grinned.

"Actually I was torn if I should go back to this timeline or not. You know, Sammy, from where I came from, you got your cherry popped." Alex said, grinning widely. His friends stopped. "WHAT?!" they exclaimed. Sammy looked positively thunderstruck.

"They trained you to become the ultimate sex toy and they sold you to the biggest perverts in this place. There you were made to all sorts of degrading things. At first, you hated them but you grew to love it in time. Until one day, you became a very willing slave." Alex narrated dramatically, sparkles surrounded him as he looked like he recalled a sweet, sweet memory.

"I'm gonna fucking hit you." Sammy warned darkly. "But it's true~!" Alex insisted dreamily. Sammy grabbed Alex in a headlock and began rubbing his knuckles on Alex's head hard. "Ow, ow, ow, ow…" Alex whined. "That's sssooo messed up!" Glenda said. "Totally sick." Kit added. "YEAH!" Carol agreed.

Marcus, Glenda, Maria, Kit and Lady Katarina looked at her. "You don't get to say that in the middle of a nosebleed." Lady Katarina said. Carol blushed. "Okay, okay, okay, I'm just kidding. Sheesh. Why are you so serious every time I'm feeling playful?" Alex said. Sammy glared at him. "Okay. Fine. That was a bit low." Alex admitted. Carol grabbed Maria's hand and looked at her with a knowing expression. Maria rolled her eyes and sighed.

"So who was this biggest pervert who bought Sammy?" she asked weakly. Alex's expression made the others cover their mouths in an attempt to stop their laughter. "Me, of course. _(Snickers erupted)_" Alex said proudly. The little stream of blood trailing down Carol's nose became a river. Sammy looked incredibly murderous.

"We played lots of games. Baa-baa black sheep. The little piggy. Pussycat-pussycat. And so much mo-" Alex said then suddenly found himself on another much-harder headlock. "KKKYYYAAAAAA~!" Carol squealed as her nosebleed became a geyser.

Meanwhile…

Someone was eavesdropping. "WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH THESE PEOPLE?!" Vessaria thought in shock and disbelief. If there was ever a good example of culture shock, it would be Vessaria right now.

* * *

"For the moment, you'll be staying here. These quarters are usually reserved for political delegates and persons of importance but I should say that you fit the bill in more ways than one." Vessaria said. She elegantly presented a humongous door. With a flick of her wrist, the doors opened soundlessly.

"Whoa." they chorused. Inside, Vessaria teetered with pride. She gave herself a mental pat in the back. Perhaps giving them the White Rose, the most sought after and most beautiful room in the Institute, would make the process of befriending them faster.

"Wow. This place is almost as big as your pool back home, Sammy." Glenda said. Vessaria flinched. WHAT?!

"Wait. Come to think of it, this place is as big as Marcus' rose garden. Minus the four other sections that are individually way bigger than the rose garden." Carol said. Vessaria flinched. WHAT?!

"You guys, it the exact same size as Maria's mini-zoo." Kit said. Vessaria flinched. WHAT?!

"Freaks! These people are freaks!" Vessaria yelled mentally. "Hey, it has an excellent view though. We could see the entire Institute from up here." Alex said. "And vice versa." Marcus added. "Try not to flash anyone while we're here." Sammy said at Alex. "Ooohhh." the others said. Alex glared at him. "Gee, Sammy. Here I thought you'd beat me to it." Alex said. "Ooohhh." the others said, louder this time. Sammy flushed red. "Now don't do anything stupid, I have to talk this one out with the people here." Alex said. He dragged a stupefied Vessaria from the room.

* * *

"Uhg. It's been thirty minutes. How long will Alex keep us here?" Carol complained. "He said don't do anything stupid. He didn't say we couldn't practice our powers." Maria pointed out. They grinned. "You must be incredibly stupid to provoke Alex again. He's really pissed off at you, you know." Lady Katarina said. "Okay. Let's do it in a lesser scale then." Marcus said.

They began to practice with their abilities. "How on earth can you wield your powers so easily? That kind of thing takes years, decades even, to master." Lady Katarina asked. "Dunno. But we just imagine what we want to do and it happens." Kit said. "Watch this." he added.

Kit raised his massive hand over the concrete and raised it slowly. In its wake, a gravestone rose from the ground. Kit danced his fingers over the tomb and zombies began to crawl out around it. With another wave, ghosts began pouring out. And with a firm snap of his fingers, the conjured creatures vanished.

"The power of imagination." Kit said simply. Lady Katarina stared at him. "I don't get it." she said. "Yeah. How come I keep imagining Carol naked and nothing happens?" Sammy asked.

"What was that?" Carol growled. Sammy grinned. "Maybe because it's only limited to the abilities of the people we chose to become?" Maria put in. Glenda clucked. She turned the dial of the Omnitrix and scanned her aliens. She nailed down the dial and in blinding green flash, an Omnitrix alien was on her place. Nemuina alien from Nemunimos IV. Pesky Dust.

"OMG! IT'S SSSOOO CUTE!" Carol shrieked as she attacked Glenda in a massive bear hug. "This is so cool." Maria said, fidgeting the alien's sparkly wings. "Hoo-ah, ladies. Now get off me." Glenda grumbled. She flew off from their grasp, leaving a trail of shimmer behind her. "So, Lady Katarina, how did the two months go by with Alex?" Sammy asked.

He lazily twirled his fingers, a storm cloud rose in its wake. Just as lazily, he directed it over the balcony. With a flick of his fingers, the storm cloud started pouring water down. Screeches below, from passersby, no doubt. With another flick, the storm cloud released a strike of lightning. Another batch of screeches erupted. "OY! Watch what you're doing, you nimrod!" an angry voice hollered. Sammy snickered. He suddenly felt the glares of everyone else boring into him. "Fine." he conceded.

"Seven months? It's just been two days." Lady Katarina said. They looked at her in surprise. "He's a smart one, that Alex. Very resourceful. He's a natural with interacting with this world. He's almost born to it." Lady Katarina said. "I knew playing RPGs would come in handy someday." Carol said to Maria who smiled back.

"Yesterday, he learned to transform. I don't know the specifics but he figured out how to turn into someone else entirely. He turned into this half-creature half-machine construct, a strange being with the ability to manipulate time." Lady Katarina said. "Chronos." Glenda breathed.

"Yes. That's what Alex said. He disappeared right before my eyes for a minute then reappeared, saying that he's gone seven months into the future. With that amount of time, he said he's figured out a lot of things. Then he said he's ready to turn the League inside out." Lady Katarina said. The others were silent. "Time travel." Maria said. "I'm sure he knows a lot more know. How to use your abilities and everything else." Lady Katarina said. "I can't wait for Alex to come back. I'm having him me teach those tricks!" Carol squealed.

"Be cautious though. Alex shared me one thing. The reason why you people are so overpowered and unlimited is because we're all basically glitches." Lady Katarina said. "Glitches?" Maria asked. The ghost nodded.

"You don't belong to this world. We're never a part of it. That means we're not bound to the limitations of the denizens of this world. We could use our abilities more effectively and freely without drawbacks. This gives us an advantage against the most experienced this world has to offer." Lady Katarina said.

"COOOOOOL…" they chorused. "BUT!" Lady Katarina interrupted. A dark and grim look encompassed her ghostly face. "Alex says if we use our abilities too carelessly, this world could crash." she warned.

"WHAT?!" they shouted. "Crash as in turn this world upside down. Too much meddling with this world means that its balance will become unstable. We could potentially create anomalies and catastrophes if we use too much of our power." Lady Katarina said. She looked at Pesky Dust Glenda and gave an imperious look.

"Alex said you could help him keep the others in line. He said, from where he came from, he created a massive anomaly. One that caused the appearance of the "Hellbourne" into this world. Alex said you'd know the meaning of "Hellbourne". Basically, from the timeline he came from, he advertently caused an apocalypse." Lady Katarina said. Pesky Dust Glenda gasped.

She fluttered down and sat on the bed, composing herself. "What does that mean?" Marcus asked, looking at Glenda. "Yeah. SPILL." Kit demanded. "Well. In HoN, you have the Legion and you have the Hellbourne. Legion- good guys, Hellbourne- bad guys. As in, they-came-from-hell bad guys. The antagonists. _(Everyone stopped, their breaths stilled)_" Glenda said.

"SICK." Sammy said. "So, Lady Katarina, do you know you come from a comp-" Carol asked. She stopped when suddenly her brain felt like exploding. It wasn't just her. Her friends too suffered the same thing. It felt like someone was prying on their brains. Like some sort of mind control, they felt foreign will invade their minds.

_"Don't tell Katarina she's from a computer game! She'll flip, you hear?!" _the ethereal voice demanded inside their heads. "Ow. That hurts so much, Alex." Maria said, massaging her aching head. _"And don't do anything stupid. I'll be there in a minute!" _came the added thought-barrage. "OOOWWW…" Carol whined.

"Who knew telepathy could hurt so bad?" Marcus said, shaking his head. Lady Katarina snickered softly. "This is worse than a hangover." Kit said. Sammy and Marcus jumped at his slip of tongue. Maria, Glenda and Carol glared at him.

"You drink?! You're sixteen for God's sakes!" Maria said in disbelief.

"Kit-kun, onee-san is so disappointed!" Carol cried with crocodile tears to match.

"This better come with a good reason, Kit." Glenda said darkly.

"I'm just joking. I've seen Marcus and Sammy with too many hangovers that I already knew how it felt." Kit said innocently. The girls didn't look convinced even by an inch.

"So, who on God's good earth let you have your first buzz? It better not be who I think it was." Maria said. Sammy and Marcus began inching away.

"Yeah. We'll never let them hear the end of it if it was them." Carol added. Sammy and Marcus began to sweat heavily.

"Teaching a sixteen year old how to drink is, in my books, just unacceptable and unforgivable." Glenda said, her Pesky Dust form was giving off red and purple sparkles, an indication of temper. Sammy and Marcus backed into the wall.

The guys felt a tap on their shoulders. It was Lady Katarina. "Would you prefer a premature burial or a live cremation?" she asked sweetly.

* * *

In Vessaria's personal chambers, Alex and the Council of Equity held a very important meeting.

"The contents of the agreement seem fair enough. But I don't see any amendments to my previous demands. What does this mean?" Alex asked, scanning the parchment with interest. Vessaria and another woman, being the only unhidden members of the four, spoke for them.

"Shouldn't we exercise the first step of civility? That would be introducing ourselves." Vessaria said. Alex smiled at the change of tone. "Of course. Where are my manners?" he said hastily.

Vessaria smiled. "I am Vessaria Kolminye, alien." she said, bowing gracefully. She extended a hand to the other woman. "I am Kiersta Mandrake and I have the great honor of serving as one of the Council of Equity, ruling body of the League of Legends: the enforcers and peacekeepers of our fractured world of Runeterra. As for our veiled partners, even I don't know who they are or what they look like. They prefer a certain amount of anonymity but I promise you that they mean well and are wise beyond their years. On behalf of Runeterra and the Institute, we welcome you." Kiersta Mandrake said. Alex stood up and gave a formal bow.

"Do they have names at least?" Alex said, looking at the two mysterious figures on either side of Vessaria. The one in red with a raspy and husky accent that spoke somewhere between a Bilgewatian and Freljordian origin. "You may address me as Red King, laddie." the red-garbed one on Vessaria's left said. "And I the White King." the white-garbed one on Vessaria's right said in a proper and intonated voice that spoke of Demacian heritage.

"I'm Alex. I'm the one in charge of worrying and my friends are the heads of making the worries. With me are Marcus _(Red mist formed the image of Marcus)_, Sammy _(Sammy's image surfaced)_, Carol _(Carol's image appeared)_, Maria _(Maria's image manifested)_, Kit _(Kit's image shaped)_, Glenda _(Glenda's image revealed itself) _and Lady Katarina _(Lady Katarina's image showed up)_. I do so hope we all get along." Alex said. He offered his hand to the four. Only Vessaria and Kiersta rose to shake hands with him.

"As do we, dear one. As for your inquiry, it means the League is taking a risk. We will put our faith in you and your friends and will hold you to your word. From my first impression of you, you hold onto your word as well as keep your friends in line. I think our trust will be in good hands." she said.

"And I think I made the right move then." Alex said. He offered his hand to them in a handshake.

_"In sacred oath, divine will written_

_Both shall sign the pact sovereign_

_Here our pleas, watchers of pacts_

_Let transgressors face your endless bane"_

The room mystically darkened and the room was filled with hushed whispers and songs of creatures unknown and hidden. They looked like deformed children, twisted and malformed but in a strange and inexplicable way, they seem to radiate holiness.

Their very presence filled the room with a strange and volatile amalgamation of hallowedness. Like a damn caught in an eternal and overflowing cycle of being filled and emptied all over again and again, the room shook with the unnatural forces. Their gazes were fixed upon both parties, neither showing emotion nor expressing interest.

_"For we have been cast unto stranger tides_

_To their laws, their order, their right therefore_

_With the signage of this will we shall submit_

_Our fates entwined forevermore"_

The room shook with the fury of energies unexplained, forces beyond the understanding of Runeterrans present. The Council of Equity felt their heartbeats lie in a state of disturbing calm. It was an unnatural peace.

Clearly, the creatures overseeing the pact were those of levels not to be trifled with. Vessaria shook Alex's hand. "With this, we promise, as representatives of the League, that the League of Legends, the Institute of War and all those who fall under its jurisdiction shall pose you no harm directly and indirectly." she said. The power surged.

The strange creatures now came forward and linked both Alex's and Vessaria's hands. They held it together in a gentle grip that was far more firm than all the chains in the world. "With this, I promise that me and my friends shall pose no harm to your League, your Institute and all those who fall under your protection directly and indirectly." Alex said solemnly.

_"Listen well, mortals, your pact in sign_

_A deal is made, your wills aligned_

_We forever safeguard this oath_

_Transgressors shall their fates resigned"_

There was a flash of light and darkness and it burned like a star for a moment. Then it, and the creatures, disappeared.

"The pact is signed and the watchers are already in place. They will watch and act accordingly to each other's course of action." Alex said. His three companions looked completely astonished. "What were those?" the White King asked.

"Keepers. They watch over vows and oaths made for gods, by gods and of gods. Think of it as the universe's way of making sure both sides keep to their part of the bargain." Alex replied. The Council of Equity looked at him with even more interest. Alex sighed. He prodded their curiosity even more.

"Keepers are creatures neither divine nor unholy but they are very sacred. When someone makes a deal with a deity, Keepers attend to the oath, making sure that the spirit of the pact is kept true and faithful. Whatever the pact entitles, the Keepers are bound to smite anything or anyone who try to get in the way of the deal. It is the spirit of the pact that gives them power to enforce it, powers that extend to manipulation of fate just to ensure it is fulfilled. If either side tries to betray the other, the Keepers will forfeit the fruits of their labor." Alex said.

"Forfeit?" Kiersta asked. A feeling of dread washed over them. "According to the degree of dishonor, they will literally lose something. And by something, I mean ANYTHING or EVERYTHING." Alex said.

The four Summoners breathed in deep. "But you don't have to be afraid. I intend to keep my part of the bargain. It's your side I'm worried about." Alex said. One of the three raised a hand in question but Alex continued anyway.

"Know that I would not have made this bargain were it not to benefit the both of us. As this woman have heard earlier _(Alex gestured to Vessaria)_, I came seven months from the future even though it was only two days. In that future, your League has faced three forces that tried to dethrone it." Alex said.

With those words, the Council looked at him with every bit of seriousness.

"I do not know who they are but their numbers are great and their roots deep into your system. From where I came from, your League has been weakened by a catastrophe from the East. At least, that's what I heard. At your weakest point, these entities made their move and plunged this continent into a state of unrest. A civil war, I suppose. Only at a massive scale. Your people were powerless to stop the insanity. With no other choice to save my friends, I unleashed hell on your world." Alex said.

He didn't explain any further. He turned to leave the room silently, filling the minds of the quartet with troubling information. Alex lifted a finger and snapped. A swirling orb of red mist appeared in the middle of the round table. "My memories. In case you doubted me. You find for yourself what happened in the seven months time in the future. Only the four-" Alex said then stopped. A coy smile spread across his face. His eyes elegantly rounded to a corner, settling on the empty space.

"I mean, five. Only the five of you can see into that memory. Anyone else beyond that can't. Additionally, my power will prevent anyone who would try to watch this memory through your own or force you to divulge what you learned. Enjoy the revelations. You might want some popcorn to go with that." Alex said. He left the room, leaving behind a trail of ebbing mist. "Did he say five?" Vessaria asked.

* * *

Alex walked through the halls, enduring the stares and whispers of everyone he passes by. "Wow. Makes me wish Sammy was with me." he thought. Alex sighed and imagined himself invisible. Surely enough, the red mist swirled around him and made him so. It was so easy. Their powers were completely cooperative with them but it won't be for long… Assuming what happens in the future happens again, Alex wasn't so sure of himself now. He closed his eyes for a moment. He was going to blow his friends' minds and he better start recruiting some Champions to his side.

* * *

The White Rose's massive doors opened with a big slam and in went Alex, red mist thundering in his wake. "Okay, ladies, huddle up! We got-" Alex said then stopped, stunned. Sammy, Marcus and Kit were suspended in the air, their legs and arms encased in ice and the girls were around them, hovering about like a swarm of angry hornets.

"50 Shades of Grey?" Alex asked. The girls reddened. "Is not!" they cried. "It totally is! And we're totally digging it!" Sammy yelled. Marcus and Kit glared at him. The girls glared at him. Carol levitated a block of ice and nudged it hard into his groin. "They say if the penis is exposed to cold temperature for a long amount of time, it shrinks." Maria said informatively.

"This is a good time for a scientific experiment." Glenda said. Sammy clamped his mouth shut but shook his head violently. "You're a real man, Sammy!" Marcus yelled brightly. He clamped his mouth shut when Carol gave his jewels the cold treatment. "Wow. I'm kinda lucky to be zombie or else that really looks sick." Kit mumbled to himself.

Alex facepalmed. "ATTENTION!" he yelled with so much force that it shook the paintings on the wall. In no time, his friends stood before him like obedient toddlers. "Okay. This is a crash course and nobody's talking but me! Understood?" Alex said, walking to and fro like an officer initiating recruits. They nodded obediently. Alex paused his pace and looked at them. He raised his hand over the ceiling and it began to disappear, to the 'oohs' and 'aaahs' of his friends. "Tell me: what do you see?" Alex asked. "The sky?" Sammy said.

"Look closer." Alex ordered. His friends concentrated harder. They gasped. Beyond the dusk and the shadows looming over the sky, they saw it. A number of burning constellations, shining brightly than anything in the night sky, lit back at them. They shone proudly and divinely among the vast space. Gazing at it, they felt a strange sense of empowerment. "I feel strangely at peace." Glenda said. "Those constellations ain't normal. I pointed it out to L.K. before and she doesn't see anything and neither has anyone else in this world." Alex said. They all looked at him. "Then I discovered something. The constellations are the source of our powers. They anchor us to this world. It's some sort of spiritual guide. Do you see the way each of those constellations connects with one another in a beam?" Alex asked. They nodded.

"Each group represents a person who was dragged into this world and each beam connecting a constellation represents how many of those people are together. As each group connects with the others, it affects our powers. Alone, we're just who we wanted to be here. Together, we could be more than anything anyone could pit against us." Alex said. "In short, you are at your strongest together and at your weakest when divided." Lady Katarina said. "What L.K. said." Alex conceded.

"You see that formation that looks strangely like a flower? That's **Carol's** star." Alex said. Carol squealed, clapping her hands in excitement.

"The cloak-shaped one is **Marcus**'." Alex said. Marcus nodded, impressed.

"The bird represents **Glenda**." Alex said. "Not bad." Glenda grinned.

"The tower-shaped one belongs to **Sammy**." Alex said. Sammy grunted.

"The one that looks like a Halloween ghost goes to **Kit**." Alex said. "WHAT?! LAAAAAAME!" Kit grumbled.

"**Maria's** the cross-shaped one." Alex said. "Yay! Religion really loves me!" Maria cheered, making the others chuckle.

"Aaannnddd…" Carol announced like an emcee. "The one that looks like a… A, a, a, um, um, uuuhhh, ah…" she stammered. "A ship?" Maria supplied. "GOES TO **ALEX**!" Lady Katarina exclaimed. There was a round of applause. Alex gamely stood and pretended to be very touched. He waved his hand, capturing the look of a howling, teary-eyed pageant winner. Carol handed him a vase, his pretend award. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you very much!" Alex said in Elvis Presley-imitate. Laughter boomed.

Marcus suddenly snapped up. "What you said each star represents a person dragged into this world. Alex, there are fourteen stars!" he said in alarm. Alex nodded. "And what's worse is that if any of us dies, there's no way the rest of us are getting back to our world." Alex said. "WHAAAAAAT?!" they shouted. His friends jumped up and panicked.

"We came here as a team so I guess we're leaving it as a team too." Alex said, his voice carrying over the tide of irate voices. "Why are you so calm about it? This is fucking serious!" Sammy yelled.

Alex's head dropped. He was silent for a moment. A hiccup escaped him. "Gee, ya think, Sammy? If someone as laidback as you is already freaking out about it, how much more for a workaholic control freak like me?" Alex said, his voice breaking one too several times. Tears were pouring freely from his eyes. Glenda and Kit were the first one to come to him then Maria. When Pesky Dust Glenda sat his shoulder, Alex began to whimper in earnest.

"How do you think I would feel if I see any of you guys die again? And it's all because of me!" he whined. Marcus slapped Sammy behind the head. Sammy glared at Marcus but looked regretful when Alex's crying turned into a downpour. "How come it's all your fault?" Sammy ventured. He earned murderous glares from Carol, Marcus, Maria and Kit. "If I hadn't spotted that stupid, retarded star and asked you guys to make that stupid, retarded wish, this would never have happened!" Alex hiccupped.

"It's not your fault, Alex. Unless you knew that star would zoom in on us, give these wacky powers, set us on an adventure with the promise of death and excitement and will probably get us all killed, it's not your fault." Marcus said. His soft look calmed Alex a bit. Sammy groaned. "Sorry, okay? We can have a hot apology sex later if you want." he said, looking away. Alex snorted and the last of his tears dried off immediately. Carol and Maria flashed Sammy a thumbs-up. "You can take your dick and shove it up your own ass, Sammy." Alex said tartly.

He blushed a bit after realizing he just cried in front of everyone but carried on as if nothing happened. Alex cleared his throat loudly and went back to sermon. This made his friends grin fondly at him.

"Some of us wished to be a specific someone, others chose to be someone with no particular image in mind. People who chose to be a specific someone would be Sammy, Carol and Glenda. Me, Marcus, Kit and Maria chose to be someone from someplace." Alex said.

He winked knowingly at his friends. Unfortunately, it made him look like he was having a seizure. Alex sighed. His friends tilted their heads sideways in confusion.

_"I'm avoiding mentioning computer games here for L.K.'s sake. Don't say anything about it. She'll flip, okay? You do not want to see a computer game character flip!" _Alex told his friends telepathically. "Ooohhh…" they chorused. "So, for the people who chose to be someone specifically, you're exempted from the rule. You don't weaken when you're on your own. In fact, you become stronger when on solo flight." Alex explained. Sammy, Carol and Glenda gave each other high-fives. "As for us, we may not be as strong as you guys when it comes to raw power but we have more flexibility than you do. We can repick our characters." Alex said.

Maria's eyes sparkled. "Do you mean what I think you mean?" she said excitedly. Alex nodded. He was about to launch into another chapter when he got interrupted. "So, how do we change?" she asked, bouncing excitedly. "Imagine yourselves as the person you'd want to be as long as he/she/it is from the same universe of your original choice." Alex said.

Kit closed his eyes and concentrated hard. He wanted to be the Lich no longer. He wanted something else. The Forest Realm. With all its verdant flora, hordes of lizardmen, treants, spiders, wooden golems, eagle-dragons ready for every wish and whim of its fearsome matriarch. The Spider Queen.

Kit opened his eyes and saw that he was no longer a gargantuan undead but a gargantuan centaurian Black Widow-like half-spider, half-man. His body was built on liquid-metal steel-hard muscles and tribal tattoos raced over his skin, both features creating a dangerous mixture of seduction and lethality. A wicked-looking barbed whip was on Kit's left hand. Kit had become the male version of the Spider Queen.

"HELL YEAH!" he yelled happily. He hung up on the ceiling and began weaving webs like a madman.

Maria immediately followed suit, anything to get her out of the hideous Azmodan body, even if she commanded an army of demons who are more than happy to rip anyone apart she cared to point them at. She thought of the one favorite hero she loved to play. She thought of octopuses, of pufferfishes, of slime and of eggs. Of bubbles and murlocs, legions of them. She thought of a certain one: Murky the Baby Murloc. She felt the change come and she embraced it.

Maria opened her eyes and saw that she changed form too. A slimy, gurgling humanoid sea creature that looked like it was crossed between a fish and a frog. Little as it was, it looked so cute with a pufferfish in fist and stuffed into what looked like a diaper. Its two jutting front teeth clicked happily. It garbled some words, making Alex squeal and scoop it up in a hug.

"Aaaakkkmmmaaakkkrrraaa!" Maria gurgled, trying to get away from Alex's tight hold.

"Whoa. COOL! I think I'm gonna go for a spin."Marcus said. Alex's eyes widened in realization. "Marcus, wait-" he started. Too late. Marcus had already concentrated into a new role. A flash of light engulfed him and a new Marcus appeared.

A tribal mask over his face, a tribal headdress over his head, a tribal garb adorned with charms, talismans, medicines and all sorts of mojos. A dagger on his hand and a voodoo effigy on the other. He stank of the magic of death and decay, the most savage and untamed expression of nature and death combined. First named, last tamed, the Witch Doctor is in.

A snicker escaped Carol and Sammy before the room erupted in laughter. "You look ridiculous, Marcus! That's so isn't you!" Maria howled. "But he nailed it! He nailed!" Kit piped in between gasps. Marcus even joined in the ruckus. "Ooga-tiki-ooga-tiki!" he chanted, leaping up in a mock native dance. "That's no longer funny, Marcus." Glenda said, ever the formal one. "Killjoy." Sammy, Marcus and Kit chorused.

Alex, however, was howling with laughter. "Oh. My. God. Marcus, Maria, I hope you guys won't regret that because once you've repicked your character, you're stuck to that in a month or two." he gasped in between fits.

Marcus and Glenda's mouths dropped like stones in the riverbed. Sammy and Carol lost it and began laughing so hard tears poured from their eyes. Glenda clapped her hands to her mouth. Kit choked on his own laughter.

"WWWHHHAAATTT?! _("Mmmaaakkkrrraaaggghhh?!")_"


	5. Chapter 5- Dovahkiin

**Chapter 5**

**Dovahkiin**

* * *

**Somewhere in the Shadow Isles**

**Valoran **

**Runeterra**

**12:15 p.m.**

* * *

_"__By the detritus of the profane, I am brought forth. And by your offering, you have made the profane your interest, mortal. The undead are foul, unnatural things. Some of my rivals take pleasure in these abominations. Not Meridia. I wish these creatures destroyed. Hidden behind the Black Mist, deep in this cursed land, lurks such abhorrence. They rob the living for the materials to raise their undead armies. Find these detestations. Destroy them and their abominations. Do this, and earn the gratitude of Meridia."_

The imperious voice of Meridia, Daedric Prince and Lady of Infinite Energies, rung from the ornate edifice of the goddess. Before the shrine was a cloaked figure, bowing humbly before her, a man.

Her words brought a smile to the figure's face. A sinister smile at that. He licked his lips in anticipation. The promise of a good fight was too good for him.

"It shall be done, mistress." he said. The shrine of Meridia dissipated into the nothingness, disappearing until the goddess herself felt he has completed his task.

Behind him was a horrendous sight. Burning and smoking and charring, bodies and bodies of undead piled on one another. On their faces was an expression of disbelief and horror. These creatures were feared all over Valoran. Tales of the Black Mist and the nightmarish creatures that ride with it haunted men, women and children in their sleep. Once the Black Mist comes for you, there's no escaping it. But look…

It seemed that the predator had turned prey. Disturbingly enough, the bodies of the revenants were mangled and thoroughly abused. No mercy was spared for them, only contempt and brutality.

"Is there anything more exhilarating than killing?" the cloaked figure said. He breathed deep and smiled madly. These things went for him, thinking he was easy prey. Now, they're the ones fleeing. He could smell their fear. He could smell the Isle's fear. His mad smile widened, almost spilling off his face. He made off killing scores of the weak ones. Now, he'll just have to wait for the strong ones to appear and challenge him.

Until then, he'll keep killing. He loved the way these creatures screamed. They writhed beneath him like worms. Who knew killing dead things was cooler than killing live ones? Who knew, right?!

The man took a deep breath, reaching deep into the core of his soul.

**"DUR! NEH! VIIR!"** he shouted. The ground before him shook with writhing energies as a portal opened. It expelled a great dragon, old and aged in appearance. An awesome and fearsome specimen.

In the Thu'um, his name meant Curse Never Dying. Durnehviir. The warden of the Soul Cairn. "We hunt again, Qahnaarin?" the great beast asked. Though his language was alien to him, guttural and unintelligent, the man understood the majestic beast fully.

"Yep! It's a witch hunt! And everything in this place is on the menu!" the man laughed. Durnehviir grinned as only a dragon could. With a mighty gust of wind, he took flight and roared proudly. In perfect sync, the two beasts breathed deep and roared. **"DIIL! QOTH! ZAAM!"** both of them shouted. There was a flash of purple and black light and a virtual army from the Soul Cairn stood waiting. It was going to be a war amongst the dead. And it ain't gonna be pretty.

* * *

**7:45 a.m.:** Scouts all over the Conqueror's Sea and Guardian's Sea spotted a billowing mist spreading out into the waters. The Black Mist.

**8:05 a.m.:** The Black Mist was forming at a rather abnormal rate. It was growing but it was spread out. Its usual thickness as seen during the Harrowing was absent.

**8:35 a.m.:** Coastal patrols of Demacia, Noxus, Ionia and Bilgewater are on high alert. Alarm was sounded.

**8:55: a.m.: **The Institute of War is contacted. Emergency protocols were deployed. Rallied naval support from city-states was assembled.

**9:20 a.m.: **Abnormal activities in the Black Mist spotted and continually monitored.

**10:55 a.m.: **Undead creatures of the Black Mist spotted. Mass numbers confirmed. Specific count undeterminable. No direction or point of assembly. State of calamity declared.

**11:45 a.m.: **Reinforcements from the Institute arrived consisting of battlemages, Adjudicators and conjurers. A blockade has been set up to stem possible outbreak. Joined by battleships from Ionia, Bilgewater, Noxus and Demacia.

* * *

**Demacia**

* * *

Frantic messengers stormed into the throne room in the Demacian Palace. Jarvan III Lightshield, King of Demacia and Commander-In-Chief of its military, was surrounded by his advisors. His son, the Crown Prince Jarvan IV, his seneschal and personal guard Xin Zhao and Captain of the Dauntless Vanguard Garen Crownguard, was among those who sat in the round table that situated the furious and heated argument. "Sire, this is a serious matter. The undead are spilling at our gates and we're ill-prepared!" the Minister of Defense, a portly, jovial-looking man, said, mustache trembling.

"We should await further developments. Our informants from Ionia speak that the undead are practically soaring above their settlements but they're not aggressive. It's almost like…" the Emissary of The League suggested wisely. "They're fleeing, not hunting." Jarvan IV said after some afterthought. He looked at his father. "What makes you say that?" Garen asked. Jarvan IV sighed. "What could possibly be the reason they're not attacking us? We've seen past Harrowings. We know how they act. They appear out of nowhere and start harvesting souls. Their initial assaults rely on the element of surprise but once they come out, they abandon all forms of stealth or strategy and resort of brute strength." the prince said. His words brought them insight. "I see." Xin Zhao said, seeing the prince's point of view.

"Sire, these creatures think themselves superior to us. They know we can do little against their full onslaught. Their numbers and otherworldly nature is enough to overrun our defenses. Whatever's causing them to act this way must be at the Shadow Isles itself." the seneschal supplied. The King settled his leonine head on his hands and contemplated. "Alert the armada. Prepare for the worse." he ordered. His council bowed deep and vacated the hall, their orders given. "Now what?" Garen asked. The King sighed. "Now we wait." he said.

* * *

**Noxus**

* * *

"Is that smoke coming off from the Isles?" Darius asked, incredulous. The Tyrant of Noxus shushed him. He demanded absolute silence. The members of the High Command stared at the events unfolding at the dreaded Isles from the view of Beatrice, Swain's demonic familiar. The raven of the underworld flew high and unseen over the distress happening at the Isles, watching and transmitting the sights into the orb in Swain's Command Chambers. The raven was nearing the dark land, steadily cutting through the sickening miasma.

"They're fleeing. From what?" the Regimental Command General asked. The overly-muscled giant of a man drummed his fingers on the table impatiently. "From a bigger monster." Swain replied nonchalantly. His eyes gleamed with anticipation, something that made everyone who beheld his face shiver in forbiddance. "Contact the Necromancer Cults and order them to prepare for an attack. We need them to take control of as many undead as possible. We won't survive the first wave with our forces scattered." Swain said, never taking his eyes off the orb.

"As you wish, Tyrant." the Eldritch Command General said. The woman was dressed in ornate attire woven with runes and seals of all sorts and sorcerical symbols flew about her. She placed her hands on either side of her head and sent out a telepathic message. The reply took less than a minute. "They've already begun their rituals. Just give the order and they will unleash their magics." she said. The Tyrant nodded distractedly.

The general suddenly grasped her forehead and frowned. "A message from the League, Tyrant. Councilor Vessaria inquires if you have vision of the happenings in the Isles." she said. Swain snorted in derision. "Tell her I do but I will not share it with her." he said. Darius grinned at the Tyrant's selfishness. His ego knew no bounds.

"She says that this is more important than whatever it is you're scheming, Tyrant. Show them what you see before this becomes a disaster, she says." the general said. "Ask her what's in it for me." Swain said. The others gaped at him. The Shadow Isles is knocking on their door and still he asks something in return. "Vessaria says Demacia and Ionia will owe you. A very big owe you. She says it's more than enough to satisfy your ego." the general said.

Swain smiled thinly and nodded. The general took it as confirmation. Swain lifted and snapped his fingers and wisps of dark energy zoomed off the orb and scattered then promptly disappeared.

* * *

The Shadow Isles burned. That was what was happening. Swain's allowing Vessaria access to Beatrice's vision lent the rest of Runeterra vision of what was happening. Demacia, Noxus, Ionia, Freljord, Bilgewater and Bandle City watched. From the blitznet to every single arcane image transmitter, Crystal Screen and Spinning Wire connected to a network, citizens watched avidly and nervously at the recent events.

Among the shadows and secrets, they saw with their own eyes as undead culled undead. But something was different. The undead killers seemed to look unfamiliar to the standard Shadow Isle denizen that was common during the Harrowing. No, these things were different. In addition to their skeletal structure, the sockets of their skulls glowed deep purple, black mist seemed to pour off of their bones and their forms gave a feeling of emptiness. There were three kinds of the strange undead.

The first were archers: a skeleton armed with a bow and a quiver. They released arrows on their deathly voyage, their aim precise and lethal. Bonemen.

The second were some sort of genie-like mages: a skeleton for an upper body and dark mist as its lower part and it hurled shards of ice or blasted it as merciless showers. Their numbers rained the skies of the Shadow Isles with frozen judgment. Mistmen.

The third were hulking armored skeletons: they wielded a halberd, a cleaver or simply a shank of bone as their weapon. Brutal and savage was its attacks and the other two of the undead herded their victims to towards it, like sheep to the slaughterhouse. Wrathmen.

Above the skies of the Isles was an enormous dragon, ancient in appearance. Though dragons were known as elemental-breathers here in Runeterra, this one was clearly different. It shouted some words, unintelligent mutterings, and frost spewed from its mouth. Then it shouted some words again and…

A deathly breath of purple fire descended upon the Shadow Isles undead. To everyone's horror, they watched as the unfortunate victims began to wither. It looked like that the breath was sapping the undeath from them. They fell to the ground, motionless and wisps of waning smoke seeping from their mouths.

There was a human figure there as well. He stood astride a skeletal horse with a mane of purple flame. Though Beatrice didn't get a closer look at him, they could see the man's insane smile. A number of foolhardy shades charged at him. The man leaped from his steed and confidently strode towards his attackers.

His movement was unnerving. Poised and graceful yet hungering and primitive. Like a beast ravaging his prey, relishing the helplessness of the caught. Like a serial murderer, watching with sheer joy as depravity falls upon his victim. Like a madman who enjoyed the hunt, the culling, the blood, the screams and the feast of death.

They watched as the man raised his hands and staves materialized upon his palms. On the left was an ornate staff in the shape of the rose, its length was designed as the thorny stalk and the tip as the rose in full bloom. On the right was a staff just as ornately designed, gothic and dark in appearance and the head was shaped like a horned skull, with black fog seeping from the eye sockets.

**"IIZ! SLEN! NUS!"** the man roared. A wave of coldness exploded from his mouth, carrying in its wake a frozen prison. When it dissipated, the shades were encased in ice. Though frozen, the expressions of terror in their faces were still explicit. The man strutted to where they were and broke one of the icy cells. Durnehviir roosted on a nearby boulder, looking with great anticipation on his face.

The man dragged the flailing shade and pulled off the ground, his hand a vise-like grip on the poor thing's head. The shade struggled harder, flailing and kicking. But it was useless. Its captor was taller and bigger. With a manic smile and a bloodthirsty look in his eyes, he crushed the shade's head. The thing struggled no more.

A loud 'tsk' came from the man. He threw the body and went for another target. The next one he slammed hard into the ground and stomped hard on its head, crushing it violently. The next he rammed his hand into its chest and attempted to pull out its heart. With each and every violent kill he made, a 'tsk' came. He wasn't satisfied.

"Your power inspires me, Qahnaarin. You remind me of myself before my enslavement to the Ideal Masters." Durnehviir contemplated. The man laughed, a feral sound of a predator. "Enslavement is just a handicap, an obstacle meant to win over. Besides, I wouldn't be like this if it weren't for that one person." he shared. Durnehviir nodded.

"Your leash belongs to someone but you're otherwise free to do what you please. You and I are quite alike, Qahnaarin." he said. The man grinned. "I believe I'm ten scores higher than you?" the dragon said, grinning. The man snorted. "Not for long, lizard." he said.

* * *

Those who watched the two monsters murder like it was a game shuddered. Not even the most genocidal criminals aren't this nonchalant about it. The two seem to embrace a level of primitive impulse that separate higher species from the lower ones. It wasn't even a survival of the fittest thing, they were just having fun. They were reminded of Noxus, the Harrowing, the plethora of Void creatures invading Runeterra and the past Rune Wars combined, all thrown together into a jumble of bloody festivity.

* * *

**Noxus**

* * *

"That man could be a tremendous weapon in the right hands." Swain said. The leaders of the High Command looked at him, horrified. "That man is a menace. He's strong, I give him that. But he's uncontrollable." Darius pointed out. He got a unanimous agreement. Swain chuckled. "Didn't he say it himself? Someone's holding his leash. It's just a matter of finding out who." he said, nodding his head as a plan formed. For the first time since Darius knew his Tyrant, Swain's face was etched with surprise.

In the orb, the man was looking up at him. Or more accurately, he was looking at Beatrice. "Oh, look. A little birdie's watching. Wonder whose cage this one's cooped up?" he said.

Swain felt Beatrice's anger curl up inside him like magma from a volcano. Beatrice was no way a pet or an animal. She's more, so much more. A powerful being bound by contract to lend her aid to Swain, Beatrice didn't appreciate the comment. Her animal form is just to disguise a terrible one. "Hey, little birdie, come here. I'm not gonna hurt ya." the man said. He held up his hand, gesturing that the raven could use it as her roost. To Swain's surprise, his familiar swooped down and rested on his arm. Beatrice brought everyone who was watching face to face the menace of the Shadow Isles.

It was stunning. The man was just a teenager, slowly approaching adult life. Despite the violence and the blood-craziness, he looked handsome in a dangerous and lethal way and there was an animalistic appeal to him. "So, who're you spying for? Maybe some power-hungry guy with a thirst for world domination? Maybe a certain old man who thinks hardcore sex is plotting and planning all night?" he said. He stroked Beatrice's back gently.

"He sounds like he knows you." the Eldritch Command General commented. Swain growled. "I don't think hardcore sex is plotting and planning all night." he replied with gritted teeth. They smothered their laughter down. "I don't know, birdie. Does that guy happen to have a damaged leg, walks with a crutch and is obsessed with killing a certain royalty?" the guy continued. Beatrice cawed. Swain's eyes narrowed. The stranger certainly knew more than he desired. "You're Beatrice, ain't ya? Pretty birdie." the guy said. He petted the bird some more, an act Swain noticed that his familiar didn't seem to mind. Swain's forehead furrowed. The man knew his familiar's name. Only he knew that, no one else.

Beatrice suddenly swerved to the right, gazing into the gnarled specter-trees. A glowing figure was there, intently watching. The sickly glow of a lantern shed light on his ghastly visage. It was Thresh, the Chain Warden. He looked poised and ready to strike but he was hesitant. He saw what the stranger could do. For the first time since his undeath, the sadistic jailer felt fear creep slowly into his inhuman heart.

He looked longingly at the stranger. He wanted to break him in every way and drag his beaten soul into submission. His fantasies were interrupted when a blast of red and black smoke came at him. It struck him squarely at the chest. But he felt nothing. No wounds appeared or suffering inflicted, only a impeding sense of danger.

Then from behind him, an ethereal chain lashed. A chain that he knew all too well. It wrapped around his neck in a cruel grip. He knew this one too. This was meant for a painful beheading. The chain tugged back, digging jagged edge into his ancient bones. With a sickening crack, the warden's head came off and fell to the ground with a thud. "Impossible." came the sound from the warden's head. His body picked it up and rejoined it back. Thresh beheld himself staring at… HIMSELF.

The clone used the undead's momentary stun to send the sickle at him. The blow cut through him and he tasted agony. He knew it well. His weapon is endowed to inflict the suffering of all the souls he's ever reaped upon his victim. The perverted magic lashed against him. Thresh fell on his knees, unknowingly screaming. But there was no respite. Another blow was coming and this time it was aimed at his chest. Thresh's eyes grew wide, horrified. He knew this move as well. The unearthly magic flowed again to him and there was flash of light.

_He was back on the night of the riot. He was bound and battered, naked. Around him were the prisoners. They leered at him malevolently. Tears were pouring from the mortal who came to be known as Thresh in the future. _

_"__Pathetic!" came a loud voice. It was a Freljordian. Savric. He remembered him. He used to visit his cell every night, toying with his body. He filled him with pleasure first then he gave him pain then pleasure then pain then pleasure then pain. Again and again and again. He relished Savric's cries for mercy. He relished how he broke his dignity. He remembered that fateful night. _

_Savric's eyes were filled with hatred. It was palpable. The chain was raised and Thresh's legs came up into the air. Savric grinned a demonic grin. To Thresh's horror, the man withdrew a stake. The raw wood was lined with nails. He softly caressed the object upon Thresh's face. His eyes widened with realization. Two pairs of hands separated his ass. "Ya like playing with people, don'cha, you sick fuck?" the Freljordian hissed. The others spat on their helpless victim. "Let's see how you like being toyed!" Savric roared. He rammed the stake into Thresh's ass. Pain shot into his head and tears rolled down his eyes. _

_The sound of limping caught his attention. Thresh's eyes swerved to see an old female yordle. Nanas. He nearly killed her one time but decided that sparing her would be more kindly. Let her live to enjoy another torturous round, he laughed with those words. It brought him no humor now. She hobbled about with a crooked crutch, her left leg was a useless stump. The yordle's skin looked ghastly and her fur was bloody and raw. Thresh had skinned her back the other night. The yordle's eyes looked mad with hatred. _

_She grabbed a knife and scampered forward, falling on the floor in her haste. Some prisoners helped her up and Thresh saw her face twist into something demonic. It's amazing how hate can disfigure oneself. He thought the yordle would stab her as she placed the knife to his naked chest. But no… _

_The yordle carved his flesh. She sliced through skin roughly, peeling skin and flesh. As he screamed, a blow to his head knocked his voice off. Savric was laughing maniacally. He withdrew the stake from Thresh's ruined ass, the nails had been strewn with bits of flesh. Then Savric rammed it back again and began a torture of copulation with the crude device of pain. "Ya like that?! HUH?! We ain't gonna kill ya. Not yet. You're gonna suffer. Suffer as long as we want ya to." Savric roared, spit flying. Thresh screamed and screamed and screamed. Someone had poured vinegar into his open wounds. Nanas began the slow cutting of Thresh's left foot just as he did with her. She began with the sawing of each of his toes. She howled happily, the first one since her enslavement to him._

"That was quite the show, Chain Warden. You're not as tough as you look like." a voice snapped him back into the gnarled reality. He stood before his own image, the chain buried deep into his chest. Thresh loved this part. With this magic, he could send his victim back to the greatest moment of their fears and pain. He relished watching them. Now, the stranger before him relished his own pain. The fear Thresh felt in his days of torment came back fresh like a tidal wave against a coastal town. He shook. It was a disturbing revelation to him. To finally see his own depravity and be sickened by the sight.

"This is the part where you're supposed to run." the stranger said softly. The Chain Warden didn't care. He fled, running as fast as his legs can carry him. He didn't even remember he could fly. The fear was too great.

The stranger's laughter haunted him with every step while the Thresh clone lashed at him, whipping his back with a delighted ferocity he knew too well as his own. Their combined glee fed his fear's fire. "Were you not entertained?" the stranger asked the bird on his shoulder. Beatrice cawed in delight.

"Bet your little Tyrant rounding up ways to make me work for him, ain't he?" the stranger asked. He waved his skull-staff and the image of Thresh disappeared back into the weapon. Beatrice cawed three times. "Well, too bad for him. I'm a guard dog and I already have an owner. Do you know what guard dogs do to people who threaten their owners?" the man crooned. A demonic laugh emerged from Beatrice's throat. She didn't look like she made it by accident. In fact, she looked unrepentant.

"It is done, Qahnaarin." Durnehviir roared triumphantly as he roosted on the ground. A contingent of Bonemen, Mistmen and Wrathmen stood around them, their stances victorious. The man stroked the dragon's neck affectionately. "I owe you a solid one, big guy." he said. Durnehviir rumbled, rubbing against the man's big hand.

"Then summon me more. I enjoy our little bacchanalia of murder, Qahnaarin. And this new realm is interesting. I would like to see more challenge from what we could encounter here. This strange place is different from Tamriel or any plane of Oblivion I've ever seen. I like it. I wish to see it more." Durnehviir said. He began to fade away, his essence recalled to the Soul Cairn. So did the soldiers of the Ideal Masters. "Then you shall see it more, friend." the man said. "**DUR! NEH! VIIR**!" he shouted and the Thu'um came to him. A portal appeared and the great dragon resurfaced again. "That was fast." Durnehviir said, grinning in pleasure.

Behind the two, a brilliant light shone. The shrine of Meridia reappeared, blazing in holy light that burned the darkness of the accursed Isles. She was a sight to behold. Like an angel of light and life looking down upon the wretched earth and seeing the sin in the hearts of men, her gaze was one of indifference and passiveness. For among men and mer lurks those whom she hates endlessly. Necromancy and its ilk is a cancer that must be gutted out. Those are the things she hates with an endless passion. Those are the things that could change her impassive visage.

_"__Well done. Those creatures were an affront to all life, and they have paid the price for their actions. Take this ring and Dawnbreaker and go with my blessing."_

Meridia's praise brought a satisfied smile on the stranger's face. As quickly as the majestic sight appeared, the shrine of Meridia vanished, leaving all who beheld her a nagging sense of emptiness of the divine. "It seems our work here is done." the stranger said. As the breathtaking statue disappeared, two orbs of light fell down from the skies like stars and into his hands whereupon they became a sword and a ring. The man smiled a dark smile. "Let's salvage what we can from the dead before going to the next level." he declared.

Two objects materialized beside him, floating unassisted. They looked similar, ornate objects looking like a large, intricately designed gemstone, with eight star-like prongs. One was black as a moonless night and the other dazzled like diamonds cast in the sunlight. To their surprise, the man began to hum a song. His voice was pretty damn good too, shockingly for a guy with an insatiable killer instinct.

As he hummed, the objects began to turn like windmills catching the flow. And as they did, all around them rose misty wisps. It came from the unmoving remains of the Shadow Isles denizens. It came in droves, streams of spiritual residue carrying with it disturbing whispers and screaming. It funneled and siphoned into the crystals until there no more to take. Azura's Star and the Black Star have been sated. Now, the essences of the souls trapped within will fuel the magic the stranger wielded.

"Let's go, Durnehviir. We go where the live people are and pray they offer a better challenge." the man said. He rode upon the great dragon and Durnehviir took flight. Around them was carnage, a sight never to be forgotten sooner. The Shadow Isles looked like it has fallen. Death came to the deathless and they too have been claimed by the oblivion. Durnehviir roared triumphantly. The power of the Ideal Masters won over the undeath of this land. Soon the living shall be put to the test.

"Fly, pretty bird. Go back to your old man. Maybe someday, God willing, we'll meet again. If we do, I'll snap his neck and set you free." the man said. Beatrice rose into the air and cawed. She circled the two three times and dove into the dark skies. With that, the man, the dragon and the raven flew their separate ways. But something tells me it won't be the last time they see each other.


	6. Chapter 6- Target Practice Part 1

**Chapter 6**

**Target Practice Part 1**

* * *

**League of Legends**

**Institute of War**

**Valoran**

**Runeterra**

**4:45 a.m.**

* * *

_"__You know the bed feels warmer  
Sleeping here alone  
You know I dream in color  
And do the things I want_

_You think you got the best of me  
Think you've had the last laugh  
Bet you think that everything good is gone  
Think you left me broken down  
Think that I'd come running back  
Baby you don't know me, cause you're dead wrong"_

Alex sang, losing himself to Kelly Clarkson's song. His friends groaned. "Alex, it's too damn early!" Maria would usually complain. But then again she was Murky the Baby Murloc now. It came as "Aaakkkrrraagggrrraaapppaaahhh!" Alex smiled down at Maria who was curled inside her egg, soft Murloc snores came from it. He pulled off the broken lid and grinned at seeing the baby murloc curled like a kitten, deep in sleep. He lifted Maria off the egg and began to baby her. "Aaawww, who's the cutey wutsy wuddly cuddly Murky wurky poo?" Alex crooned. Maria's eyes snapped open and slapped him with a pufferfish.

It's like jumping off the frying pan and into the fire. Had Maria known Alex would go gaga over her, she would've chosen someone else. She regretted taking Azmodan for granted. "Kkkuuurrriii… Kakakamurikikakabaririndidika…" Maria grumbled off in Murloc. Alex grinned.

Last night she won the biggest and softest bed in a game of cards but discovered that her current form had an aversion to all things cottony. So she had to settle for a slimy egg as bed for the night… And every night thereafter.

Alex watched as Murky Maria sleepily tried to hop off the floor and back into her egg. Her third attempt let her in but her diaper snagged against the edge. "Kkkrrraaa?" she gurgled. Alex grinned wider. He picked her up and laid her back. He kissed Maria's forehead, assumingly a Murloc had a forehead, and fled the moment his friend angrily threw at him several pufferfishes.

* * *

Alex toured the Institute grounds. It was surprisingly empty. Usually for something this important to the people of Valoran, Alex expected it would be full of people by this time. "Maybe something happened." he thought. But then again, he didn't care as long as it didn't involve his friends. As he rounded off the corner, he rammed straight into someone.

"Sorry!" Alex said apologetically. "Sorry!" the person he collided with said at the same time. Alex stared at the virtual mountain of food, sitting on a huge wave of water appearing virtually out of nowhere. "OMG. What are you?!" Alex exclaimed, shocked. A face poked out of the mountain and looked straight at him, worried. "You okay?" she asked. Alex's eyes widened in recognition.

"KKKYYYAAAAAA~!" Alex squealed at the top of his voice, jumping up and down like a frenzied rabbit. "I CAN'T BELIEVE IT! TO BE ACTUALLY IN FRONT OF THIS CHAMPION!" Alex howled excitedly. By sheer instinct, he split off two other copies of himself who joined his squealfest.

"THE TIDAL WAVE!" Alex #1 exclaimed.

"THE EBB AND FLOW!" Alex #2 yelled.

"THE TIDECALLER!" Alex screeched.

They began squealing like hyperactive fangirls. Nami smiled awkwardly at them, her left eyebrow twitching. "Uuummm… Hello!" she managed. The Alexes squealed again. Alex grabbed Nami's left hand, #1 grabbed her right one and #2 grabbed her tail. "BIG FAN, MISS NAMI, BIG FAN!" Alex said, giving the Marai a shake that could easily rival the rollercoaster shaking Carol is famous for. It took a great bit of effort on Nami's part to wretch her limbs off Alex's hold. She kinda laughed with that. The Alexes began fanning themselves hard.

The Tidecaller's eyes widened in surprise. She was standing right before the very person who they say turned the League inside out. Now she watched that same person squeal louder than ten pigs combined. Nami managed a tentative smile. "Big fan, huh? That's a shocker. Haha." she said shyly, combing back her fin-hair.

"Why?! You're an amazing Champion!" Alex said. Nami's eyes darkened a bit. "Not counting being the only merperson sensible enough to act and take on a heavy responsibility for your people! The hero of the Marai! The amazingggggg Tidecaller!" Alex said. Nami's eyes widened. Her mouth dropped.

"Wow. You really are impressed!" she said. She swam nearer to Alex, leveling her head with his. She looked deep into his eyes. "Please, don't do that. I might faint from astonishment." the Alexes chorused. Nami swam back. She chuckled. "Wow. You really mean it!" she said and laughed out loud.

"Why shouldn't I? I mean I'm standing right before the great Tidecaller, questing for the elusive moonstone, bearing upon her shoulders a great responsibility as well as the hopes and pride of her people! NAMI THE TIDE-FUCKING-CALLER!" Alex yelled gleefully. Nami reddened in embarrassment, tinting red to her green scales.

"Well, I guess you got the news a bit late. My people are already under the protection of the League. In return for me remaining as their Champion, the Marai would benefit from the protective wards that will keep us safe from the deeps." Nami said. Alex's mouth went agape. "But what happened to the moonstone?" Alex asked. Nami looked sad. "Lost, I guess. No use waiting for the fabled stone when we're on the brink of extinction. Besides, me being a Champion still meets the end I'm wishing for." Nami said, twiddling with her fingers. Alex looked offended.

"Wow. I'm happy for you and your people. But what about you? You have a life too. Your martyred yourself for the sake of the greater good. I'm sssoooooo touched~!" Alex said. The Alexes promptly sniffled loudly. Nami felt warmness surge into her body. Her eyes bulged and her heart began beating loudly.

"Don't you worry, Nami, my friend. When I chance upon that stupid stone, I'll give it to you and you can get your life back on track!" Alex wept. Nami grabbed his hands and looked at him, her eyes sparkling. "You're not what I imagined you to be! You're so friendly and sincere! Are you sure you're the monster that trashed the Institute yesterday?!" Nami said. She suddenly found Alex sitting on a corner, poking his hand on the floor.

"Aye. Should have known by now. What else would they call me after all open fire? You weren't expecting a medal, were you, Alex? Now, your own idol called you a monster." he said miserably. Nami giggled. "Not really. Now that I saw you myself. What's your name again?" she said. Alex looked at her with marvelous puppy eyes. "I'm Alex! Nice to meet ya, Tidecaller!" he said.

"Same to you, Alex. Here I was thinking that true people didn't exist here. At least there's hope." Nami said. She huffed and looked up brightly. "That's a lotta food, Nami." Alex said. Nami blushed. "You buying for a friend or something?" Alex asked. Nami blushed harder. "They're all mine." she squirmed. The Alexes swerved back at her. "Boy, you eat a lot." he said. "Yeah, well, I developed an addiction to sweets and pastries." she said weakly.

"No worries, no worries. It's no biggie. My bestfriend Kit makes heaven out of those things and I could easily eat a mountain or two of them." Alex said. He looked back at her. "You always buy this early?" Alex asked.

"Huh? You don't know? If you wait until later, the pantry's gonna go empty. It's a survival of the fittest. Breakfast, lunch, dinner. Don't wait for the big ones to come because they have one hell of an appetite and there'll be nothing left to eat." Nami declaimed. Alex's eyes sparkled as she did so.

"Alex, what're you making so much noise at this time?" a voice joined them. It yawned loudly. Nami could hear the sound of trilling and shimmering. Alex eyes widened excitedly and looked at the newcomer. His clones disappeared as he no longer needed them to fanboy by himself. He's got someone to fanboy with now.

"GLENDA! LOOK WHO I BUMPED INTO!" Alex yelled hyperactively. "A fastfood outlet? 'Cuz I have the serious case of the munchies." Glenda yawned again, louder this time. Nami's eyes widened as she saw who it was. Some sort of faerie creature glittering with cascades of shimmer around and about her.

Alex presented Nami to her friend like a prized possession. Glenda got a look then rubbed her eyes. She yawned and took a good look again, scratching her side. Her eyes widened in recognition. Before Nami knew it, déjà vu…

* * *

Three hours later…

"OMG! This is amazing!" Glenda and Alex chorused. That was the hundred and forty-seventh time they said it. Nami kept giggling all the way. They were like children, exploring new spaces and places with frenetic excitement.

"Well, not that I'm a fan of LoL or something but the architecture is amazing!" Glenda twittered, running her tiny hands over the marble figures carved into the unyielding stone. "Lancaster Stone. Aged to perfection. The best of the best." A Summoner nearby piped in proudly.

"Well, well, well. I didn't take you as a morning person but I'm mistaken once again." a woman's voice joined them. It was High Councilor Kiersta Mandrake.

She made beeline for them the moment she stepped into the hall. Alex grinned. "So how did you find the movie?" Alex asked. She nodded wisely. "Interesting and full of information. With just that, you've armed the League with an unfair advantage." she said proudly. Glenda sighed. "No politics very early in the morning, please. What's this place called?" she asked. Kiersta spread her hands.

"Welcome to the Chambers of Summoning. Here, the Champions of the League convene with their Summoners before they are whisked away into the Fields of Justice." she declaimed.

"Ooooohhhhh…" Glenda and Alex chorused. "You have matches this early?" Alex asked. "No. Every Champion has to have a mandatory practice match. It's our way of measuring their affinity and aptitude with the Summoners before the day starts." Kiersta explained. Glenda and Alex cocked their heads sideways. Kiersta smiled.

"Summoning magic declines when unused over time. Champions or Summoners who have been away from the Fields of Justice for a time must take this match in order to renew their affinity. If not, they'll be suffering from serious drawbacks. This is a ritual called the Reattunement." she explained.

"COOL!" the two chorused. Alex and Glenda watched as the darkened chamber come to life with an arcane humming. Runes and sigils glowed brightly as the room itself was filled with magic. The hall was separated by ornate columns built both as receivers and amplifiers. On one side was a series of circular pools rising off the floor in series of five and another was on the other side. As the hall was filled with magic, the pools crackled with energy. A team of ten Summoners entered the hall. Then the Champions.

"OH, MY HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!" Alex breathed in with an excited squeal.

There was Ashe. Queen of the Avarosan. "She had to take matters with Freljordian conflict. Not a party, from what I heard." Nami said. "Is it with Sejuani or the Ice Witch?" Glenda asked. She was a strict and proper lore fan of LoL. "Naw. Lissandra finally showing her true colors was a big blow against Ashe's campaign but she managed. This one's from inside her tribe." Nami explained. "What do you mean?" Alex asked. "Well, there are people in the tribe that despise her alliance with the barbarians. They don't like the way the barbarians are being incorporated into their culture. They feel these outsiders have no right to be in the tribe. People who see it this way began to increase in numbers. In-fighting was beginning to become a common sight among them. Worse, they began to treat the barbarians as second-class citizens." Kiersta said. "WHOA." Alex and Glenda said.

There was Azir. Emperor of a resurrected Shurima. "What about him?" Alex said. He was thankful Maria wasn't here right now or she'd be fangirling to hell. "Disputes over territorial boundaries. Azir wants to claim every part of ancient Shurima. Problem is some of those parts are already under Demacian and Noxian territory. Azir's got headaches from the Noxians who think Azir's reclamation is an act of usurpation and a declaration of war." Nami said.

There was Irelia. Captain of the Ionian Guards. "Surprise, surprise, suprise." Glenda said. She and Alex chuckled. The two looked at Nami for an explanation. "Diplomatic issues. Ionia demands the return of some their relics from the Noxian troops that plundered it. Of course, Noxus denies the allegations. Strangely enough, Ionia is not touching Zaun or Bilgewater despite both nations' contribution to the Ionian war. The political constraints and bias is starting to put Ionia in a distasteful light." Nami said. Kiersta looked at the Marai with raised eyebrows. "How our enemies would love to get their hands on you, Tidecaller. You're a veritable mine of information to their cause." she commented. Nami blushed.

There was Jarvan IV. Crown Prince of Demacia. "I can guess this one's reason." Alex said. "Knock yourself out." Glenda said. "National security? Conflict with Noxus? State visits?" Alex guessed. Kiersta chuckled, joined by Nami shortly after that. "How noble. Alas, no. The prince was caught in a compromising situation with a wench. His father's furious with him and forbade him from leaving the palace for a time." Nami said. Kiersta snorted. "From what I heard, wenches, not wench." she piped in. Nami blushed at the revelations, her hand flying to her mouth. "Such stamina." Alex said, pretending to be starstruck. They all giggled. "Note to self. Stop Carol and Jarvan from ever meeting. Like, ever." Glenda said. Alex bumped fist with her.

There was Zed. Grandmaster of the Order of the Shadow. "OMG! It's Zed! OMG! OMG! OMG!" Alex squealed, shaking Glenda. "Big deal." Glenda muttered. "Run-in with the Kinkou?" she guessed. Kiersta and Nami shook their heads affirmatively. "Ionia hasn't recovered from the war but now they're facing a new conflict. The ninja wars. They've been hunting each other down, night and day. The fight's become so intense that propagandists began to recruit out in the open. Both sides are spinning out of control from their self-centered war. Doesn't matter if it spills into the public in broad daylight. The Kinkou's triumvirate's halved in their opinions too, making it worse." Nami said.

There was Darius. Chief ally and lord general of the Noxian High Command. "Unbelievable! Even the dunk's here!" Alex said. This time, even Glenda was awed. "Did I mention that I'm attracted to big men?" she said, drooling. "No. I thought you were attracted to furries." Alex said. That earned him a jab to the ribs. "They say the Hand of Noxus has been seen with an unknown flame! Videos of them leaked into the blitznet and many of them were borderline scandalous. Blitzcrank had to pull off some of the videos because they violated the guidelines. They were really pornographic without all that nudity." Nami said. "You've gone from facts to gossip." Kiersta said. Nami blushed again. "Okay. I got nothing on him. Except for that." she admitted.

There was Cassiopeia. The famed half-woman, half-serpent seductress and deceiver from Noxus. "Amagerd. I like the way she sway her hips when she moves but I'm also unnerved by the sound of her scales against the floor." Glenda said, shivering slightly. The other three nodded. "She's been very busy lately. Up to no good, I think. Did you know she's hired a platoon of private investigators and bounty hunters all the way from Noxus to Bilgewater? And I have a hunch she's not acting alone. Whatever it is she's looking for, it's gotta be important that you'd risk the wrath of the Noxian Grand General." Nami said. "The sweet, sweet sound of power-mongering." Glenda said.

"Oh. Here are the others." Nami said, looking to the doors. Alex and Glenda looked and saw Karma and Leona approaching. "Hey, girls!" Nami greeted them as she met them halfway. Karma and Leona took one look at Alex and did a double take. "Is that who I think it is?" Leona asked. Karma grabbed Nami by the shoulders, head wagging excitedly.

"Yes~!" Nami squealed. Her waters bubbled with her excitement. "He's not what I thought he'd be. He's okay." Nami said. "I can hear you, you know." Alex said. Nami blushed. "You finally have the notoriety you were looking for, Smarts." Glenda said. Alex gave her a look. "You should be honored." Alex said, flaunting his lustrous locks. He and Glenda launched into a haughty laughter.

"So those two were MIA for a time also? Hard to believe Leona's missed out. She's so popular." Glenda commented, referring to the Solari and the Enlightened One. Kiersta chuckled. "Oh, she's not one of those retuning. There are a few open slots so they have to cover it. She and Karma are volunteering for this." she said. "Ooohhh…" Alex and Glenda chorused. "This is complicated stuff, this Reattunement." Glenda said.

"Not really. The Reattunement is a practice match but it's also an official one. People still watch it all over Valoran. Yes, it's one of the reasons why people wake up so early. Just to watch one of these. And, Reattunement matches are special. If there are free spots, anyone can fill it. No Summoners are required for this match so Champions start the match with all their abilities at their disposal, no mind-union required. You should see how it is when Reattunement matches are open for everyone. Every besotted Champion-wannabe shows up at our doors." Kiersta said, laughing at the memory.

"So you mean anyone can play it? Anyone ANYONE?" Glenda asked. She and Alex looked at each other. "Yes, indeed." Kiersta said.

"IT WOULD BE OUR GREAT HONOR IF YOU ALLOW US TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS MATCH!" Alex and Glenda begged, deeply bowing on the floor. "Oh, great and beautiful Kiersta, awe-inspiring beyond compare, would you grant us this small token?" Glenda groveled. Alex shushed her. "That is so pathetic!" he said indignantly. "Watch this, noob." Alex said haughtily.

_"__Oh, beauteous one, born of song and light_

_Draped in fearsome power, a soul of burning might_

_Your gaze is like the sun, burning through the dark_

_Your eyes they glimmer, borne willing great destiny's mark. _

_Kindly gaze upon us, the wretched little ones _

_Calling unto you, you're sublime perfection lording thousand suns _

_Grant us this favor, oh, indomitable lady, a tiny blessing for the feat _

_May you grant us your mercy as we humbly prose before your gilded feet"_

Alex orated in a deep bass voice that sent chills and shivers down every hearer's spine.

"That was so sexy!" Glenda said, hugging her body. She shivered again. "Total eargasm." she added. Every female within earshot sighed dramatically. Their little childhood fantasies matched exactly this. Kiersta was beside herself with giddiness. She blushed several new shades of red and her heart was beating like a drum against her chest. She hadn't felt like this before even in her teenage years.

Now, the unknown romantic inside her was showing itself. "Okay. You can have a go." she said, trying to buy some time for her jumbled emotions.

"YYYEEEEEESSSHHH! Alex and Glenda yelled excitedly. "That is how you do it! UHUH! UHUH!" Alex said triumphantly. The two made a mad dash to the teleportation pad of one side. "That was fast." Nami said, recovering from her euphoria just enough to make sense.

"I can't blame him. That was amazing!" Leona said girlishly, hugging and squealing to herself. "I'll sit this one out then." Nami said. "I think I'll stay here and keep you company." Karma said, winking knowingly.

If they went against the monster who threw the Institute into disarray, they felt safer on the audience stand.

* * *

Alex and Glenda squealed as they were joined by three Champions: Azir, Jarvan IV and Cassiopeia. The two were fangirling like crazy, jumping like hyperactive kangaroos and squealing like chipmunks on helium. The three Champions actually backed out a little at that. "Let's have fun!" Alex said excitedly, holding out his hand. Cassiopeia smiled and shook it. Only she did the friendly gesture. "Don't worry. That's just the typical royal snootiness. Even more so when they know they've been teamed up with the person who turned the League inside out." Cassiopeia said. "OMG. Your voice is so amazing. Ssssssooo ssseductive~!" Glenda mimicked. Cassiopeia smiled in a calculative way at them.

"Wait. Smarts, how does this go? You're a freaking god. The match-up is already unfair." Glenda piped up after some thought. The opposing Champions perked up at this as well as everyone else in the room. Alex laughed haughtily. Then stopped. "That's a good point. Dayum…" Alex said. Then he had an idea. "Okay. Then let's promise to stick on one form only throughout the game. No changing into other things. No cheating." Alex said. He and Glenda exchanged a pinky swear.

With massive cacophony of light and Mana and a thunderous explosion of sound and wind, they were whisked away to the Fields of Justice.

* * *

All over the blitznet and arcane image transmitters all over Valoran, Kiersta Mandrake had boomed over the news. She sensationalized the practice match out of the waters.

_"__TERROR OF THE LEAGUE WALKS THE FIELDS OF JUSTICE! CAN VALORAN'S CHAMPIONS STAND A CHANCE?!"_

It screamed. And, of course, that meant people scrambled to watch for themselves what the fuss was all about.

Surely, those reports that the League was under siege by a single individual wasn't true. It's all over the news and blitznet but sometimes the media would blow the news over the levels.

And that thing yesterday with the Shadow Isles. The people of Valoran was on edge. Their fears escalated by the recent events beginning to unfold right before their eyes and there was nothing they could do with them.

But Kiersta knew what she was doing. These kids had a light of humor and easiness that could dissipate the doubt and the paranoia. Kiersta had no idea that her plan would pay well more than it should.

* * *

The Allied Team:

Alex (?)

Glenda (?)

Jarvan IV (Jungle)

Azir (Top)

Cassiopeia (Mid)

* * *

The Enemy Team:

Irelia (Top)

Zed (Mid)

Ashe (Bot)

Darius (Jungle)

Leona (Bot)

* * *

Will the Champions stand a chance against two people who, after the slightest mistake at a game, turn the internet upside down in the search for cheats?! Who will fall? And who will survive?

Find out as soon as I get the motivation to continue… DUM! DUM! DA! DUM!


	7. Chapter 7- Target Practice Part 2

**Chapter 7**

**Target Practice Part 2**

* * *

**League of Legends**

**Institute of War**

**Valoran**

**Runeterra**

**7:45 a.m.**

* * *

Summoner's Rift

* * *

**WARNING: **(For maximum caution, read this using the Honest Trailers guy's voice)

**The following program has been rated OP. **

**Any similarity to noobs, carrying or feeding, is purely coincidental.**

**The author is not responsible for any psychological or physiological effects that happen after reading this. Symptoms may include ragequitting, trashtalking, delusion, hallucination, loss of hair, loss of sanity, loss of money, loss of ELO, moodiness, anti-social behavior, psychopathic tendencies, sudden urge to do something stupid, obsessive-compulsiveness, voices in your head, seeing dead people, teleporting to other worlds, sudden love for Twilight or 50 Shades of Grey, sudden obsession with the dark magical arts, going on a quest to find the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone and Cloak of Invisibility, making out with your dog's butt and raising an army of zombie vegetables for world domination. **

**If you feel increased sexual or gambling tendencies, have a nice weekend then consult your doctor.**

* * *

Alex and Glenda materialized on the most revered and most contested arena of the League of Legends: The Summoner's Rift itself.

The two squealed the instant they saw their surroundings. "OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG. OMG." the two chorused. "So, what's the battle plan?" Jarvan asked. "Middle. I'll show the shadow ninja a jolly good venomous time." Cassiopeia hissed.

She purchased a Doran's Ring, a Warding Totem and several Health Potions.

"Then I guess the Top lane is mine." Azir said formally. He purchased the exact same things as Cassiopeia did. Cassiopeia, Jarvan and Azir looked over to Alex and Glenda. The two were on the ground, rolling over and stretching their limbs like they were making snow angels.

"This is sssoooooo amazing!" the two sighed in contentment. The three Champions looked stupefied. "ATTENTION!" Jarvan yelled. Alex and Glenda gazed at him from their positions.

"Yup?" Glenda asked. "Battle plan?" he asked. "We're going bot obviously. It's not like your gonna bot yourself. Is there a problem?" Alex said tartly. Jarvan blushed. "I, uh, uh, well, I, uh, carry on then…" he stammered. "I like those two." Azir whispered over to Cassiopeia. She smiled patronizingly.

* * *

"So, Smarts, what's the battle plan?" Glenda asked as she and Alex rose off of the ground. Alex put his finger to his chin thoughtfully. "Don't die. Be awesome." he said. Glenda grinned. "And I think I just have the alien to help me out." she said.

Glenda abandoned her Pesky Dust form and returned as herself. She turned the dial of the Omnitrix and began scanning her aliens. Smiling when she found the right one, she hammered the device and erupted in a flash of green light. When she stood was a new alien. A Galilean. Planetary humanoids from the world of Keplorr. Gravattack.

"COOOOOOL, G!" Alex cheered. The bulky, hulking mass of living solids smiled as only their race can. "Why, thank you, A!" she said in a gravelly voice. "Wait- what, uh… Who's bot lane again? On the enemy side, I mean?" she said again after some thought.

"Ashe and Leona. Durr…" Alex replied. "Okay, Smarts, now choose a form and stick to it. No shapeshifting for the rest of the game." Glenda demanded.

"One glitch, G. I have a deal with the League and if I change, it gets cancelled." Alex said as-a-matter-of-factly. Before Glenda could pipe in however, Alex interrupted her. "G, calm down. Who am I?" Alex asked. "Circe." Glenda said. "Who am I?" Alex asked, pretending not to hear her. "CIRCE." Glenda said, grinning reluctantly. "Watch this." Alex said.

Red mist covered him, swirling violently. Sharp-looking tendrils shoved off from the earth and danced about him as if they sought to change him to his very composition. The mist then gave way to shimmer and sparkles and gleaming balls of bright light. Transparent enough, it showed Alex changing.

His form was fading in and out of reality then a new vision of him surfaced. This time, Alex was dressed differently but he was breathtaking nonetheless. His form was more tribal in look and his skimpy attire spoke of savagery and the wilds. He had a heavily-designed headdress over him and a big wooden staff with a tip etched in the form of a goat's head. The shimmer vanished and a changed Alex was left in their wake.

"Was the transformation sequence ala magical girl necessary?" Glenda asked.

Alex reddened. "I can't help it! It works that way!" he said indignantly. Glenda grinned. Meanwhile, they never noticed blood streaming down Azir and Jarvan's noses or a gawping Cassiopeia.

"And why Ophelia? Couldn't you have chosen someone else? Someone more OP?" Glenda said. "Nah. I wanted to try out something. Just a little test drive. If it stinks, I'll change into something else and I'll stick to it this time." Alex said, whipping his hair back. Glenda groaned.

The two looked at the three Champions. "So where's the gold we're supposed to use for buying starting stuff?" Alex asked. Cassiopeia had this devilish smile up her face. "You don't get any. Only Champions get it." she pointed out.

Alex and Glenda's face fell. "WHAT?!" the two screeched in disbelief. Cassiopeia choked down her laughter. "Yes! Didn't anyone tell you?" she asked incredulously. Alex and Glenda nodded no feverishly.

"Fear not. This is only a League policy. Reattunement matches are not a serious business but attracted droves of wannabes when held. The League had to take drastic measures such as…

Banning them from getting gold and items _("WHAT?!" Alex and Glenda screeched) _

And giving them longer time to reform when fallen _("HHHUUUWWWAAATTT?!" Alex and Glenda screeched) _

And having no Summoner's vision **(P.S. Summoner's vision just means the player's vision, the so-called semi-omniscience) **_("From the lightning and the tempest, Emperor deliver us!" Alex and Glenda wailed) _

And aren't able to telepathically coordinate with their allies _("Emperor, do not forsake us!" Alex and Glenda wailed harder)_." Jarvan explained.

Alex and Glenda were already rioting by the time he finished. "DISCRIMINATIONNNNNN!" they yelled, shaking their fists at the skies. Azir chuckled. "Hyperactive bunch." he commented.

"I like them. They're not like the rabble who blunders their way in on these matches. Acting all high and mighty then leaving like battered mongrels with their tails between their legs." Cassiopeia said. They returned to looking at the two new allies.

In a voice that sounded very much like a competent politician and a figure of state, Alex made an improvised speech that made the three Champions laugh.

"Friends, Runeterrans, countrymen, lend me your ear! There is a time when a man's back is to the wall that he is no longer given the luxury of hesitation. He is denied of the choice and must act according to his deepest instincts. There is a time that a man must sacrifice the honor such as the ones the Ionians preach and the valor like the ones the Demacians pride themselves of… He must shed these things AND MAKE LIKE A NOXIAN AND TORCH EVERYTHING IN SIGHT! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE! BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD!" Alex yelled. "YEAAAAAAH!" Glenda seconded, raising her fists defiantly.

"Jeeves, where is that stupid bill?" Alex demanded. Glenda handed him an imaginary piece of paper. Alex proceeded to tear it apart with relish as Glenda provided some sound effects for it. Then he threw the pieces to the ground and stomped on it for good measure.

"Let's go, people! We got some serious badassery to do!" Alex declared.

Gravattack Glenda shifted into her planetoid form and hovered off the ground, manipulating gravity around her. Alex leapt on top of her and Glenda zoomed off, exiting the base and entering the jungle. "Where are they going?" Cassiopeia asked. "Beats me." Azir replied.

* * *

_"__Ee-e-e-oh-mum-oh-weh  
Ee-e-e-oh-mum-oh-weh_

_Wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh  
Wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh  
Wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh  
Wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh, wimoweh_

_In the jungle, the mighty jungle  
The lion sleeps tonight  
In the jungle, the quiet jungle  
The lion sleeps tonight"_

Alex and Glenda sung as they waited for the Blue Sentinel and its Sentries to spawn.

"Will you shut up?!" Jarvan demanded. The two looked at him. "You're gonna give away our positions." he hissed. "Killjoy." Alex said. Glenda snickered. "Now you know how we feel when you're like that." she said. Alex gave her a look.

"Are these things always this long? We've been sitting here for seven minutes!" Alex hissed back at the prince. He looked appalled. "No one asked you here! Why the hell are you here for anyway? You're lane's way over there!" he hissed back.

That was true, at least. They were the blue side so the two's lane should be WAY over there. "With all this hissing, why am I even the snake here?" Cassiopeia's voice rung over the tall ring of trees. "Shut it, Noxian." Jarvan snapped back. "Charming as always, prince." she replied mockingly.

"One: we're here because we wanna see the Golem up and personal.

Two: that's none of your business.

Three: why the hell would you start with the Golem anyway?

Everybody knows you go for the Frog first!" Glenda hissed back.

"YEAH!" Alex seconded. Jarvan facepalmed himself.

He trudged his way to the Gromp spawning point, among the clusters of unnatural mushrooms sprouting off the muddy ground.

"Happy now?!" Jarvan said angrily, depositing his ass on the ground. "Oh, come on. You're too old to be pouting!" Alex said. The prince sighed loudly and threw his hands in the air.

"You're fighting like married couples right after their honeymoon." Azir commented. Glenda sent her rocky hands to her mouth in an effort to contain her laughter. Alex looked at the Ascendant and smiled serenely.

"Don't worry, Azir. I'll never cheat on you." he said, blowing the Shuriman a kiss. Azir promptly shut up and stared hard at the ground. Everyone knew he was blushing.

A little frog popped off from the bushes nearby and swallowed a mushroom just about its size. With a mighty burst of magic, the Gromp appeared. The strange-looking walrus-frog hybrid was flicking its tongue madly at nearby potential threats. "Oh, look, Jarvan, it's your brother!" Alex said cheerfully.

Jarvan growled and hammered at the creature, pretending it was his annoying teammate he was smashing. To Jarvan's surprise, the Gromp didn't fight back. He looked back and saw why.

Gravattack Glenda focused her power over at the Gromp, increasing the pull of gravity and forcing the Gromp into the ground in a helpless state. "Well, what are you waiting for? A cheer for each attack?" Alex said. "_Jarvan, Jarvan, he's our man. If he can't do it… GREAT!_" Glenda piped in.

Jarvan felt his face heat up and began beating the Gromp with ferocity. He raised his hand into the sky and a mighty streak of light descended, consuming the Toad in its fire and leaving nothing in its wake. Bubbles of purple colors began floating off Jarvan's body, an effect of the Gift of the Toadstool.

They heard a mighty rumble and swerved to see the Blue Sentinel form off from the rocks and leap from the slab into its lair, radiating a feeling of magical empowerment. It was accompanied by its ever-present guardians: the Sentries. Jarvan moved past the gawking Glenda and Alex and made a beeline to assault it.

"Pinch me. I think I'm dreaming." Alex said. He lifted a hand for Glenda to pinch. Instead, Glenda bit him. "Ow!" he complained. "You're not!" Glenda said and the two giggled. Then Alex saw that the three Champions were preparing to attack it.

They saw Cassiopeia's acidic spittle melt through the wood and rock of the natural wall just the other side of the Golem's lair.

They saw Azir conjure a rising sandstorm around him, sweeping the ground and raising Sand Soldiers in its wake.

They saw Jarvan's lance rearrange and reconfigure to reveal jagged edges, appropriately made to deal with enemies of tough hides.

"WAIT. WAIT. WAIT. WAIT. WAIT." Alex screeched. The three Champions paused. "What now?" Jarvan growled. "I wanna try something." Alex said. He rushed in front of the Blue Sentinel and it and its Sentries reared up, ready for a brawling. Alex closed his eyes and focused.

Luminous winds and multi-colored leaves danced around him and made a link with the creatures. The dance of wind and leaves made a mystical vision to the watchers. In perfect sync, man and magical construct reached out to each other. Their hands met and a flash of light erupted.

When it ended, Alex looked back at Glenda with a huge smile. The Golem and its Sentinels stood ready to serve. "OH. MY. FREAKING. GOD." Alex and Glenda exclaimed. Both went down with hysterical laughter. "You didn't!" Glenda breathed in. Alex winked. "I did." he said unrepentantly. "Sweet Shurima." Azir breathed. Jarvan dropped his lance, looking utterly shocked.

"What happened? What happened?" Cassiopeia exclaimed, rushing in from the other side. She looked excited and confused. Her jaw dropped the moment she saw what it was. "Why haven't you killed it yet?" she hissed at the Demacian. Jarvan merely pointed to Alex and still looked dumbstruck.

"We don't need to!" Alex said. He snapped his fingers and the Blue Sentinel did something they haven't seen before. It placed its stone hands to its forehead for a moment then withdrew it with a tiny sphere of light at its tip. It graced the light over on to Alex and behold! Alex received the blessing of the Blue Sentinel: the prized blue buff, the Crest of Insight.

"Holy…" Cassiopeia breathed in. The Blue Sentinel blessed all of them until every single member of their team had blue buffs on. "Okay, people. Stop gawking! We have work to do and awesomeness to share!" Alex said. Glenda shifted into her planetoid form again and Alex hopped on. "Yo, golem. You watch over this kid, okay? But if shit hits the fan, run as fast as those grubby legs can carry you, you hear?" Alex said as they sped away. The Blue Sentinel saluted them as they disappeared from view.

* * *

"Yes! This is awesome! Hahaha! Free all-you-can spam buffet!" Glenda said as her Gravattack form zipped across the battlefield. "Wow. Actually, I wasn't expecting that. I thought maybe I'd just get to control it. The whole unlimited buff thing was just a fluke." Alex said. Glenda grinned. "Or is it?" she said.

"RING! RING! RING!" Alex mimicked a phone ringing. "Who is it? Destiny?" Glenda said expectantly. "I've been expecting your call!" the two chorused.

They passed by the **Crimson Raptor** camp and squealed aloud. The monsters looked at them like they were insane.

They made a detour to the **Red Brambleback** camp and squealed some more. The monsters shooed them off, chasing the two with a fat branch.

The passed by the **Ancient Krug** camp and squealed ever harder. The monsters looked at them with annoyance.

"It's everything I've ever imagined!" Alex exclaimed. He patted Glenda. "Now, let's go and win our lane." he said. Glenda snorted. "How? We don't have access to items and runes and Summoner Spells and masteries. We're basically on our own." Glenda pointed out.

"Glenda, what is the secret to success?" Alex asked. His friend grinned. "Cheating." she replied.

* * *

"Who're we up against?" Ashe asked her partner. Leona warded three of the brushes in the bottom lane. In case, they would come in with a 5-man gank squad. "Maybe those two kids. They certainly had this lane coming." Leona replied.

While Alex and Glenda were busy touring the jungle, Ashe and Leona had farmed just enough buy some decent items for each of their roles. Ashe had nearly enough money for a BFG and boots and Leona had some more to go for a Sightstone.

"Would they manage? I mean, they're severely limited." Ashe said in concern. Leona snorted. "Lady, you haven't seen what that boy could do. That whole thing about turning the League inside out? He managed that. That wasn't exaggeration. All. By. Himself." Leona said.

Ashe's mouth came down. "Really? I thought otherwise. So that's why you warded like a paranoid." Ashe said. Leona brought her finger to her mouth and shushed her. She went back to stalking in the brush.

Then suddenly, they saw all their allied minions in the lane sink to the ground, helplessly pinned down by an unknown force.

"CCCHHHAAARRRGGGEEE!" two voices yelled as they dashed into the lane, appearing off from their side of the jungle.

Ashe concentrated and drew on her bow. Focusing on the magic of the true ice, she let loose a volley of ice arrows.

The arrows lashed off in their deadly flight. "EEEKKK!" Alex shrieked as he spotted the incoming projectiles. But instead of hitting him, they zoomed off and orbited around Gravattack Glenda. "Had me there for a moment." Alex said in relief. Ashe watched, her mouth dropped in awe.

Her arrows stopped in their flight and appeared to circle continuously around that humanoid planet thing. "Where on earth did they get all that blue buff?!" Ashe exclaimed. Leona was just as awed as she was. "The boy maybe?" Leona finally concluded.

Alex stepped into the brush and Leona turned into a raging sphere of light, teleporting to him and striking him with additional sun-imbued attacks. Ashe followed this up with another volley of ice arrows and freezing shots.

Suddenly, Leona and Alex felt drawn by an irresistible force and the two were hurled at Glenda's direction. Alex hopped off of orbit and landed on Glenda's form. Glenda hurled Leona right under their tower.

At that exact moment, Alex bathed Leona in a shower of debilitating light. Slowed and made more susceptible to damage by Alex's magic, the Radiant Dawn fell in a haze of turret shots.

"FIRST BLOOD!" the famous old lady announcer's voice thundered across the Rift.

"I love the smell of first blood in the morning, don't you?" Alex said. Glenda grinned. She got credited for the first kill of the game. "CHARGE!" Alex yelled as he dashed madly to Ashe's direction.

Lifting his staff again, an explosion of light bathed Ashe and the Frost Archer felt her body crumble as if a giant weight has been placed on her all of sudden. She retreated back to her tower as Alex fired off one blast of light after another.

Glenda lifted off several minions of the enemy into the air and sent them careening towards Ashe. In a burst of instinct, the Frost Archer fired a giant arrow of true ice. Glenda took control of the enchanted crystal arrow and turned the projectile into one of the other things that orbited her.

"Now, let's go gank someone!" Alex yelled. Before he could celebrate however… Glenda watched at the scenery behind Alex darken blacker than midnight. Several pairs of red eyes jutted out of the darkness. "Alex! RUN! BEHIND YOU!" Glenda yelled. Shadow clones rush off from the darkness.

They converged on Alex, martial kicking him into the air above and joining him. With a spectacular dance of blades, the shadows cleaved through Alex and Glenda saw from above Zed descend like dark lightning, striking true and precise. Alex's body fell to the ground. Flowers and vines bloomed over him, covering his corpse as if they mourned him. "ALEX!" Glenda yelled.

Her initial reaction was rage, something Glenda never felt before herself. It surprised her. It took several seconds before her rational brain won over. She retreated back to the tower. "This is just a game. This is just a game. This is just a game." she kept repeating.

She glanced back at the Master of Shadows. He was culling their lane minions, tearing them apart efficiently. _"G! Throw all Ashe's arrows back at Zed!" _a telepathic voice said in Glenda's mind. She sighed in huge relief and launched Ashe's enchanted crystal arrow and her ice arrow volleys at Zed's direction. From where Alex's corpse lies, a giant beam of light cascaded from the heavens above. Alex stood alive and unharmed.

"G!" Alex yelled. "What the-!" Zed snarled in disbelief. Then he got battered and frozen in place when Ashe's attacks struck him squarely. That was all he could get out as Glenda's gravitational pull launched him under his enemy's tower. Alex cursed him again with the same affliction he gave Leona. But the trick didn't work twice. After receiving a couple of tower shots, Zed disappeared in a silent puff and was replaced by a shadow clone.

Alex and Glenda chased after him. Diving through the brush, they saw the ninja's form slink through the jungle. "COME BACK HERE, YOU SEXY, HOT NINJA, YOU!" Alex yelled, shaking his fist at him.

"Sssoooooo not what I wanted to hear." Glenda muttered.

"So, Smarts, wanna tell me how you defied death there?" she said. Alex grinned. "Token of Life!" he said simply. "WHOA!" Glenda said, clearly awed. "I'll show you later! We have a ninja to catch!" Alex said.

* * *

Zed dashed through the jungle terrain, breathing steadily. He couldn't believe someone just survived his shadow assault. He was sure he downed the kid. Or this new form might have a method of self-resurrection. That's gotta be it. Zed mulled over the limited choices on how to ambush their lane. He wasn't confident enough to attack the planetoid creature. Get too close and you'll be helpless as a baby.

The ninja's senses detected blunt movement in the surface of the earth. They were getting close. There was no one in this match capable of making such vibrations. Not a chance.

He wasn't looking for an engagement. The turret shots did him good. Blood was seeping thoroughly from his wounds.

His eyes widened as he saw a Blue Sentinel leap off from the cluster of trees. What the hell was a jungle monster doing this far off from its usual spot? His musings was interrupted when the monster slammed his massive fist right at him. Zed leapt off to the other side but he landed right in direct line of fire of the Sentries. The runic stones pelted him magical blasts, forcing Zed to immediately avoid the assault. More life's blood poured from his wounds.

"THERE HE IS! GOOD JOB, GOLEM!" Alex yelled as he and Glenda appeared off the corner. Two exits blocked with angry mobs, Zed turned to the last possible escape route. Until it was blocked by Demacia's Exemplar…

Jarvan roared as he heroically leapt off the ground and into the petrified ninja. Zed sunk back into the shadows before the man could join his blow. "No, no, no!" Alex yelled repeatedly.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Glenda yelled repeatedly at the same time. As the prince slammed to the ground, the force of his blow send jagged earth up into the ground, creating an improvised circular wall of terrain. Alex and Glenda smacked right into it. "My nose…" Glenda moaned. "You don't have one…" Alex rejoined. Both fell back on a heap.

Inside the cage, Jarvan dueled with the dancing shadows on the walls of his own making. Each shadow stabbed tendrils at the prince. As Jarvan felt his blood slowly tricking out from this assault, he felt a sudden sense of empowerment as the magic of life filled him, knitting his wounds to the fullest.

"You okay?!" Alex yelled from the other side of the wall. His teammate's magic also came with a blast of light shaped in the form of butterflies. As the magic ascended, it also dispelled the shadows and Jarvan saw Zed standing right where he should've been when Jarvan came crashing down.

Brandishing his lance and charging full force, Jarvan's weapon connected with flesh and slammed the ninja against the wall. "Game over." Jarvan snarled. Zed laughed weakly. "Is it?" he said. With another puff of smoke, Jarvan found his victim was replaced by a shadow clone.

The wall of earth around him suddenly came flying into the air. His rock thing teammate had lifted the debris off the ground. "So did you get him?" Alex asked excitedly. Jarvan nodded no.

"WHAT?!" the two exclaimed in disbelief. "But you had him! How could you not have him?!" Alex demanded. Jarvan looked sheepish. "He's Jarvan, He's helping." Alex said, massaging his temples. "Hey, he was too quick, okay? I did my best!" Jarvan snapped. "Which clearly wasn't enough." Alex said.

Jarvan fumed. The audacity! "Listen here-!" Jarvan growled. Alex snapped his fingers and multi-colored sigils appeared around Jarvan. After a short moment, he was whisked away, sent back to the base.

"Wow, Smarts, what gives? You're going way too hard on him. This isn't you!" Glenda pointed out. Alex giggled. "It's called pure, unadulterated disillusionment. It's a tactic try-hard-to-gets use to attract the attention of people who can't be attracted by standard means. Like celebrities or Champions…" Alex shared. "Ooohhh…" Glenda whistled.

* * *

Alex suddenly felt a tide of doom wash over him. This feeling was something he developed over the seven months he spent discovering everything by trial and error.

Acting on instinct, Alex enchanted his pets and Glenda with the same magic that sent away Jarvan. "Smarts, what gives?!" Glenda asked.

Her words were drowned by the rage of the sun-pillar crashing to the ground with a vengeance. As the magic pulled them from the danger, Glenda saw Alex fall to a perpetual rain of true ice.

Leona and Ashe got back at them.


	8. Chapter 8- Target Practice Part 3

**Chapter 8**

**Target Practice Part 3**

* * *

**League of Legends**

**Institute of War**

**Valoran**

**Runeterra**

**8:27 a.m.**

* * *

Summoner's Rift

* * *

**WARNING: **(For maximum caution, read this using the Honest Trailers guy's voice)

**The following program has been rated OP. **

**Any similarity to noobs, carrying or feeding, is purely coincidental.**

**The author is not responsible for any psychological or physiological effects that happen after reading this. Symptoms may include ragequitting, trashtalking, delusion, hallucination, loss of hair, loss of sanity, loss of money, loss of ELO, moodiness, anti-social behavior, psychopathic tendencies, sudden urge to do something stupid, obsessive-compulsiveness, voices in your head, seeing dead people, teleporting to other worlds, sudden love for Twilight or 50 Shades of Grey, sudden obsession with the dark magical arts, going on a quest to find the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone and Cloak of Invisibility, making out with your dog's butt and raising an army of zombie vegetables for world domination. **

**If you feel increased sexual or gambling tendencies, have a nice weekend then consult your doctor.**

* * *

Alex reformed slowly at the Summoning Platform. He yawned as began to reappear bit by bit. He saw Glenda and his pets waiting patiently for him.

"SMARTS! YOU'RE ALIVE!" Glenda squealed the moment she spotted him. She hugged him hard and Alex made choking sounds. "Thanks a lot, G." Alex said, massaging his aching sides. "You mean to say you've been AFK since I died?" he asked. Glenda flashed him a thumbs-up. Alex facepalmed.

"Okay, G, here's what we're going to do!" Alex said.

* * *

The middle lane was literally a gas chamber. Cassiopeia's venomous presence gave the ground an unholy look. It smoked and sizzled with bubbling poison while the temptress' laughter echoed across it.

The Will of the Blades had a hard time coming near any minion to deliver a killing blow without suffering burns or worse.

Darius had already tried to come in, leaping at a tremendous height above to attempt to cleave the snake woman in half. Unfortunately for him, she turned him into stone and let gravity do the rest. What a mess he made…

Cassiopeia's laughter was suddenly stopped and replaced by a shriek of pain. Irelia saw the snake woman impaled by several shadows. Zed. Focusing on her magic, Irelia invoked spirit blades to dance around her.

More than a dozen blades of pure essence appeared around her. Charging through the throng of warring minions, Irelia lifted a hand and with a single thought, she sent the blades surging forward. This was enough to turn the Serpent's Embrace into ribbons.

Before the blades could make contact however, a bright flash of light appeared and two figures were left in its wake. A powerful screech had dislodged Zed and Cassiopeia from each other, sending both careening to opposite directions.

Irelia watched as the new kid appear and alongside him was something else. But she deduced it might be a new form of his friend.

Glenda's form was now a new alien. A Sonorosian. Self-replicating humanoids from the planet Sonorosia. Echo Echo.

Irelia watched helplessly as Alex inflicted a curse of weakness on Zed, ironically projected as a shower of light despite its malignant intent. Zed attempted to sink back into the shadows but an infuriated Cassiopeia turned him into stone.

Echo Echo Glenda split into six more copies of herself and screeched loudly, creating a literal wall of sound that destroyed the petrified ninja.

There was another flash of light and Irelia found Alex beside her and Glenda blocking her path back to her tower. Cursing her with the weakness, Alex pelted her again with a magical blast, rending her willpower. Deciding whether to go in or retreat, Irelia decided the former.

With a dash of supernatural agility, she struck Cassiopeia squarely. She stabbed her in the same place Zed had impaled her earlier. To her surprise, butterflies of light erupted around her foe, healing the snake woman in its wake. This gave Cassiopeia time to slither back to her tower's safety and recall back to base. Echo Echo Glenda surrounded the Ionian and screeched destructive decibels.

Focusing her floating swords again, Irelia brandished it and struck, pinning her foes around her with spectral blades. Dashing back again into a faraway minion and slicing it cleanly in half, Irelia bailed for her tower as well. Alex and Echo Echo Glenda watched as she fled.

"What didn't you pursue?!" Cassiopeia demanded, still bathing in the light of teleportation. The two grinned at her. Alex placed a finger to his lips and shushed her.

She suddenly felt excited. What new trick would they pull off now? Shivers ran down the Noxian's spine. She watched intently what was about to happen.

Irelia wondered why the two never pursued her. Almost like they were letting her off. No. That wasn't it. It was too easy. They're planning something else. She didn't know what it was but she better flee before they could pull it off. She suddenly felt the ground at her feet rumble. Like something was trying to get out of it.

With a mighty crash that seems to dominate the entire Fields of Justice, a gigantic figure lashed out of the ground and with one hungry swoop, the Ionian was devoured beneath its gnashing maws.

Cassiopeia's mouth dropped when she realized what the thing was. No Champion in their right mind would not recognize it. It symbolized the Summoner's Rift with its sheer power and brutal reputation. It was Baron Nashor. The beast thrashed savagely as its three heads vied over the human between their teeths. Wrenching Irelia in all directions, the Ionian was torn right before their eyes.

"Is that?" Cassiopeia stammered. "Hell yeah, baby!" Alex and Glenda chorused. Both giggled madly after that. Even after fading back into the base, the Noxian's mouth was still agape.

Baron Nashor sunk back into the ground and reemerged near Alex and Glenda. It bowed its massive head down into the smaller two and purred, nuzzling affectionately. "Who would've thought it would work, right?" Alex said. Glenda laughed.

"Let's go recruit Dragon!" she said gleefully.

The two (Technically Glenda is seven) skipped playfully down into the bottom half of the river.

A rundown of the havoc Alex has caused:

He recruited the **Blue Sentinel** and its **Sentries**, giving them free Crest of Insight buff

He recruited **Baron Nashor**, giving them free Hand of Baron buff

He recruited the **Greater Murk Wolf** and its **Murk Wolves**, giving them free nature spirits (Rift Spirits) to ward both parts of the allied jungle

He recruited the **Rift Scuttlers**, giving them free speed shrines and pseudo-wards on both parts of the river

He recruited the **Crimson Raptor** and its **Raptors**, giving them free Razor Sharp buff

He recruited the **Dragon**, giving them free Dragon Slayer buff

"Does this count as cheating?" Glenda asked. Alex sighed. "I hope so because there's no way we'd win without cheating." he said. Glenda looked at him. "Well, if we had to cheat, why the hell did you recruit everything from our jungle? The monster you recruited didn't respawn because they technically didn't die. Now all that's left of our jungle is the Red Brambleback, the Gromp and the Krugs. You realize what a heavy deny is that if we did that to the enemy's side of the jungle?" Glenda said.

Alex gasped. "HOLY-! You're right! You're so damn right!" he said, reeling from realization.

"We're gonna get an earful from Jarvan." Glenda said. Alex's expression turned to irritation. "Let him whine. We got important matters to attend to!" he said. He and Glenda took out what looks to be a gemstone of indeterminable color within a golden container.

10 minutes earlier…

_"__Listen up, people. This is the part where we cheat the hell out of this game. It's low and unfair and totally uncool but the end justifies the means." Alex sermonized. Glenda, the Blue Sentinel and the Sentries listened intently. "Why so serious?" Glenda asked. "G, this is the first game we ever had in the freaking Fields of freaking Justice and would also be probably the last one too. Do you want it to be a DEFEAT?" Alex asked. Glenda nodded no. _

_"__So this is what we do. Let's throw all the self-imposed sanctions out of the window and start shaping up." Alex said._

_He looked at the magical constructs. "My pretties, go down the bottom lane and hold it as long as you possibly can. Mommy's gonna be there in a moment." Alex chirped. The golems stood up and promptly went to it._

_"__Now, G, take a good look at what I can do." Alex said. His Ophelia form suddenly went transparent and Alex as Circe astral projected himself in front of Glenda. He pulled something out of the air, two objects was arriving in a thick smoke of red mist. "Are those?" Glenda asked, eyes wide. The objects were gems trapped in an ornate locket. Portal Keys._

_Alex nodded. "Yep. With my blessing, you can use them but only when you're around me. Otherwise, they won't do anything." _

_Alex summoned more things. _

_One was a locked book, bristling with destructive magic and it was positively writhing with it. The Codex._

_Second was an alien-looking cube, like a puzzle of some sort. The Puzzlebox._

_Third was the same tattered tome Alex originally bribed the Summoners with. The Grimoire of Power._

_"__Is that the Grimoire of Power?" Glenda said in awe. Alex handed her one. He nodded in affirmation. _

_"__With this book in hand, the beholder gains magic beyond their reach and grant it within their grasp. With this, a WHISPER becomes a SHOUT, a SHOUT becomes a STORM and a STORM becomes INFERNO!" Alex said, his voice rising in a prophetic madness. Glenda grinned. _

_Then for the fourth one: it was a staff containing the knowledge and wisdom of those who wielded it beforehand. The Staff of The Master._

_As for the fifth relic: it was a stone entranced with the power over time and its magical attunement lent fortitude, regeneration and magical prowess through the unnatural passage of time around its bearer. The Restoration Stone._

With their new one-stack Dragonslayer buff, Alex and Glenda went down to the bottom lane. Alex ordered the Dragon to go find each of their teammates and cram the buff into each of their asses. With the Baron Nashor following them deep underground, they prepared to ambush Ashe and Leona. Payback time.

"This'll surprise the hell out of them." Alex said. He and Glenda prepared their Portal Keys and zoomed in on the remaining distance.

"WHAT THE-!" Leona exclaimed as Alex and Glenda reappeared right on top of them. "Sorry, peepz. We love you and all but we aim to win. BY PUSHING THE HELL OF Y'ALL!" Glenda said half-apologetically.

She and Alex retrieved the crackling tomes and shot at Leona and Ashe a powerful arc of lightning. The Champions screamed in pain as the energy surged through them. It didn't leave a wound behind but the damage was there and so was the pain. Scrambling to retreat and both heavily damaged, the Frost Archer and the Radiant Dawn rushed to take cover.

As they ran away, Leona and Ashe watched as the two assaulted their tower. Their tower was barely scratched. There's no way they could bring it down without that much back-up. And Darius was on his way to defend it.

KA-BOOM! The sound came as the ground erupted and something the Champions didn't expect to see surfaced. The Baron Nashor in all its monstrous glory rose screeching and writhing. The tower immediately attacked it, perceiving it as an immediate threat. The Baron attacked the tower, thrashing and gnashing and coiling around it and squeezed in vise-like grip. With the Baron's attacks, blasts of light from Alex and thunderous sonic blows from Glenda, the two Champions watched as the tower crumbled.

_"__Remember, Glenda. We ain't winning by killing people. We're winning by pushing every lane down. Champions will just get stronger in time but structures don't. We're cut off from communicating from the rest of the team. That means we probably don't have much of a choice. We'll backdoor the hell out of this game. Viva, DoTA!" Alex said._

_Glenda nodded, her expression grim. "Viva, DoTA!" she said._

_"__It doesn't matter if we have sixty-something deaths or more. It doesn't matter if we have zero kills. It doesn't matter if we have zero assists. By the end of the day, what's important is the victory. Standing tall, fist raised high, faced stained with tears and sweat and blood, the survivors atop the ravaged corpses of enemies. A bittersweet victory." Alex wept. Glenda almost joined him. ALMOST._

_"__The Emperor is with us! The Ecclesiarchy is with us!" she said. _

"Okay, Baron, you help these guys push down the lane farther. You're free to eat enemies along the way but you're strictly not allowed to die, okay?" Alex said, wagging a finger at the gigantic Void monster. Baron Nashor responded by showering Alex with drool. "I'll take that as a yes." he said, wiping off the liquids off his face.

Alex threw Glenda a Homecoming Stone and both of them were surrounded by furrowing light. "You push mid. I'll get top." Alex said.

* * *

Echo Echo Glenda reappeared underneath the middle lane's allied tower. The opposing team had started to put as much pressure as they can. They could no longer afford underestimating the newcomers.

It's a holy five man gank!

Cassiopeia and Azir held them off. The Ascendant was raising his staff heavenward, eyes closed in concentration. A great wall of desert sand stood erect in front of him, forming battlements with Sand Soldier archers fired barrages down below at the opposing minion wave. With an elegant gesture, the wall of sand shifted and turned transparent but the terrain itself remained as solid and unyielding as before.

"ATTACK!" Cassiopeia commanded. Ranged minions threw their spells at the targets now very visible through the sand while the melee minions bashed their weapons through the safety of the great wall. Cassiopeia screeched at the top of her voice and an explosion of light came from her face, leaving nothing but petrified victims in its wake.

There was a flash of green light and Azir and Cassiopeia saw that Glenda had reverted into Gravattack again.

The alien shifted into its planetoid form and flew up high, gravitating the two Champions with her. Before the two Champions could protest, a huge pillar of raging sunfire descended from the heavens and struck where they once stood. As the light burned and crackled, it disappeared to leave nothing but scorched ground.

"HOLY. SHIT." Glenda breathed in. "What you said." Azir seconded. "Are practice matches always this intense?" Glenda asked in disbelief. Azir and Cassiopeia nodded no.

"I guess one of the reasons why they're going blitzkrieg on us is because of your friend. He's inspired them to go all the way out. Frankly, I've never seen them that with that kind of concentration." Cassiopeia said.

Leona saw the trio up high in the heavens and motioned. She firmly planted her sword into the ground and knelt.

Before they even knew it, a hailstorm of sun energy rained down from the skies and the sun glowed far brighter than the normal, blinding them as the projectiles continued to batter them.

Glenda controlled as many of the sunfire as she could but she could only save herself. Her companions had to fend for themselves. Glenda caught as many sunfire as she could and not very long after, she looked like a reverse solar system with countless sunfire spheres around her planetoid alien form.

Azir raised a great wall of sand before him, stopping the sunfire midway and redirecting it with force back to Leona's allies. Meanwhile Cassiopeia hid securely behind him…

"ASHE, NOW!" Leona yelled at her Marksman. The Frost Archer took aim. With perfect pitch, she let loose an arrow.

Glenda's eyes widened in realization. "TAKE COVER!" she yelled to the Shuriman and the Noxian.

Ashe's true ice arrow had triggered a chain explosion. One sunfire exploded and detonated other sunfires near it. They boomed with a force that shook the earth beneath them as the skies was filled with multi-colored destruction.

In the wake of the clashing flames, the vortex of light opened slightly and three figures came lashing out with a speed unhampered.

Before Glenda even knew it, she and her two allies had been cut down.


	9. Chapter 9- Target Practice Part 4

**Chapter 9**

**Target Practice Part 4**

* * *

**League of Legends**

**Institute of War**

**Valoran**

**Runeterra**

**9:03 a.m.**

* * *

Summoner's Rift

* * *

**WARNING: **(For maximum caution, read this using the Honest Trailers guy's voice)

**The following program has been rated OP.**

**Any similarity to noobs, carrying or feeding, is purely coincidental.**

**The author is not responsible for any psychological or physiological effects that happen after reading this. Symptoms may include ragequitting, trashtalking, delusion, hallucination, loss of hair, loss of sanity, loss of money, loss of ELO, moodiness, anti-social behavior, psychopathic tendencies, sudden urge to do something stupid, obsessive-compulsiveness, voices in your head, seeing dead people, teleporting to other worlds, sudden love for Twilight or 50 Shades of Grey, sudden obsession with the dark magical arts, going on a quest to find the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone and Cloak of Invisibility, making out with your dog's butt and raising an army of zombie vegetables for world domination.**

**If you feel increased sexual or gambling tendencies, have a nice weekend then consult your doctor.**

* * *

"J4, MAH MAN!" Alex yelled as he joined Jarvan into the top lane. The prince visibly sighed and looked back at him for a split of a second. "Cold shoulder. Nice. Just what I was thinking too. Now let's get this lane cracked!" Alex said. Then...

_Insert magical girl transformation sequence here…_

Alex was swarmed by red mist again and he transformed. This time, for the worse. His skin seemed to peel off from his body as it sunk and decayed. His body became dangerously thin and an unholy fire solidified behind him becoming an object of immense weight.

When it ended, where Alex stood was a twisted zombie wielding a lamp on one hand and a shovel on the other. His back was burdened by a massive iron coffin bound to him by cruel chains. But despite this burden, Alex stood upright as if his fragile body didn't even feel the weight at all. Alex had become the Gravekeeper.

Jarvan nearly barfed from the horror of what he just saw. Even though the Gravekeeper's form was one of pure revulsion and ugliness, it lent a mortal beauty to Alex's face. Like the frailty of a marred rose. It was a disturbing sensation.

"Let's go, prince!" Alex said, his voice a wicked cackle. He ran straight ahead into the wave of enemy minions. Picking up hi space, Jarvan hurled a Demacian standard. It zoomed cleanly into the air and impaled several minions with a single stroke.

To Jarvan's horror, he watched as this new form of Alex open the coffin on his back. Laughing maniacally, the coffin opened and flying corpses spewed from its darkness like Pandora's Box unleashing misfortune upon the world. Clawing and tearing through the air and through the ground, the cadavers exploded upon contact of their foes. What Jarvan was frightful most was that the dead bodies gave off a disturbing laughter as they clung to their victims and detonated.

"ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!" Alex yelled with all excitement.

Instantaneously, the earth disgorged a horde of the living dead. Zombies rose in droves from the earth. Most of them were corpses of varying ages: some were rotting and desiccated, some looked recently buried and still had their burial clothes on and some looked like something in between of both. Eye-catching of all was the presence of bloated zombies, their skin thrown into sickly purple color and their bodies impossibly distended with whatever it was they contained within their bodies.

The zombies charged. It was a literal zombie apocalypse. In Runeterra, they had the Harrowing. The darkness of the Shadow Isles would come and claim those unfortunate. But this was different. It filled Jarvan with a sense of dread. The numbers of these zombies alone was enough to rival a Harrowing on its own. "A little help here!" Alex yelled.

He kept touching each and every dead minion body that littered the battleground. As he touched each corpse, their eyes flung open and they began to scream horribly. Shaking and thrashing like puppets violently pulled by its strings, the screaming bodies rose high into the air and rushed into the skies.

"W-w-w-where did y-y-you send th-those th-things?" Jarvan asked, swallowing hard several times before he got his voice out. Alex looked at him and saw the Demacian shaking. He was sure Jarvan didn't even realize it. He sighed. "Middle lane? The enemy team is pushing us hard there?" Alex said. Jarvan nodded dumbly.

Alex sighed again. He went to Jarvan. The prince instinctively stepped back. Alex shifted back to Circe and touched Jarvan's cheek with a soft hand. He turned into Gravekeeper again. When the prince's eyes widened in fear, Alex returned as Circe and then returned as Gravekeeper. This time, Jarvan didn't flinch. Alex did the same thing again twice.

"Humans will never conquer fear if they fight it, they want to change it, force it even. But if you see your fear in a whole, new different light, fear gives you the courage and courage gives you the strength to do what's right." Alex said wisely. He balled his hand into a fist and knocked on Jarvan's forehead.

Seeing the prince had recovered quite quickly from his unguarded situation, Alex smiled inwardly when Jarvan blushed.

"J4, lead the zombies to the tower and the next one if you can. I'll go mid and save our team's ass!" Alex said. Alex took out a Homecoming Stone. He suddenly stopped. Thinking hard, Alex muttered something to himself. "What's the matter?" Jarvan asked.

"Nothing. But just to be sure…" Alex said. Before Jarvan could ask what he meant by that, Alex shouted again. "ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!" and the lane was now twice as crowded with zombies.

Alex smashed the Homecoming Stone under his feet and a brilliant beam of light transported him to the top lane's inner tower. From there, Alex entered through the jungle and waited to ambush the siege of the enemy team from behind.

_"Listen, G. We're going all out cheating, okay?" Alex said, wagging a finger at Glenda. She nodded._

_"Here's the thing. As Circe, I can make clones of anything. Save for HoN characters. I've learned that I can make one, and only one, perfect copy of a HoN hero. Think of it as my identical twin, only stuck to the form it's bound to. I'll leave OPHELIA sitting in the base. It'll be up to it to manage the peepz we recruited. Anything we make while in a form will dispel the moment we leave it. I learned that the hard way." Alex said._

_"That's not good. I'd hate to wait and redo everything again. But then again, if we let them go, we can just hoard the monster on the enemy's side of the jungle. But then again, time is a luxury we don't have anymore." Glenda said. She could definitely think like Alex does._

_"Exactly. Also, I'll give you these three Tokens of Life." Alex said, summoning three of the artifacts in a storm of red mist._

_"What's the point of these? You said it'll only work where you're around." Glenda said. Alex smiled deviously. "Exactly. It won't do anything for you. That's why OPHELIA's there. The moment the clone comes around of you, they will be activated by me through him. Slip these two to Cass and Birdie unnoticed. The moment you revive, we'll strike them by surprise and then…" Alex said._

_"PENTAKILL!" both chorused ambitiously._

* * *

"Now what do we do?" Ashe asked her teammates. "We march onward. Take down their middle defenses while their team has three people missing." Darius replied. Ashe shivered. She somehow has this feeling that it will not end well. She watched as the Hand of Noxus charged through the minion wave, leaving beheaded corpses in his wake.

As the rest of the team followed up behind him. "The Demacian prince is pushing top with a zombie horde and Baron Nashor is pushing bot. If this doesn't end up well, we know who to blame at least." Leona said as she turned the earth beneath the minions into molten sunfire. Zed merely grunted. "Where's that trickster?" he said.

"Did you miss me, Zeddy?" OPHELIA, Alex's twin clone, said. He stood alone at the stairs of the base's entrance. The ninja growled. "I have a beef to settle with you." he said quietly, an unspoken contempt. "Really?" OPHELIA asked. As if in answer, Zed summoned shadow clones all around him and each one sent OPHELIA a throwing star.

Before it could touch OPHELIA, however, a mighty gust of wind dislodged the projectiles, sent them clattering pathetically against the concrete. A mighty beast roosted on the base's wall, the source of the gale. The Dragon. It roared and hovered protectively about OPHELIA.

"So that's where that went. I thought it got lost and ended up at the Twisted Treeline again." Leona whispered to Ashe. Both women giggled.

"Aaawww… When you said beef, it thought it'd be something else." OPHELIA said, smiling. "And what would that be?" Zed growled. "Something hard, long and thick… Grade-A ninja meat." OPHELIA said, licking his lips.

"Hard, long and thick? What are- _(Zed stopped and blushed hard)_" he sputtered. He got the meaning. He brandished his weapon in front of him. "Oh, here it comes. It's your funeral, girl-boy." Darius said, smirking in anticipation.

Leona, Ashe and Irelia tried to look away before Zed would strike. They knew what he did with people who piss him off. He called it the Ionian Ambassador. Nasty stuff, that move. Very inhuman and very effective. One touch: a moment of intense pain then death…

Last time, Zed used it on Teemo. Angry with the mushroom mines the yordle has been placing around the map, Zed used the special move on the Swift Scout. How he screamed. He held his insides on his paws, trying to put them back into his body. Then he fell and gurgled. The newcomer will have a taste of it now. The Champions were very sympathetic of him.

Then there was a time when he used it against Draven. Let's just say Draven sang like a fat lady for an entire week and leave the gross details out. No one could witness that move and not puke. Thresh had been petrified with disgust when he saw it himself. That's the Chain Warden we're talking about.

Zed raised his blades and poised it right at OPHELIA. His teammates cringed. Here it comes…

"Cease your perverted innuendo! I will not be defeated by your harlotry!" Zed stammered, his weapon was shaking madly while he pointed. His four teammates fell on the ground. HU-WHATTTTTT?!

OPHELIA chuckled. "It's too late, ninja. You see…" he said. He beckoned at someone hidden from view. Someone rose from the shadows at OPHELIA's feet. It was… Zed!

"I've already tasted you." OPHELIA said, running a hand across the clone ninja's clothed chest. He slipped a hand underneath the mantle and caressed what lay within. OPHELIA raised the garment higher to get a better access, revealing a washboard stomach of iron muscles.

"STOP THAT! GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF ME!" Zed yelled but he stood rooted to the ground. He was flailing his weapons wildly and his shadows were ready for the command to strike but nothing. Just nothing. Zed was completely paralyzed as the girl-boy molested his clone.

"YOU LOWLIFE! I'M NOT USED TO THIS KIND OF ADVANCES! WILL YOU SINK TO ANYTHING JUST TO BEST ME?!" Zed yelled indignantly. The Dragon snickered, lifted its massive tail and laid in about Alex and Zed clone, hiding the lower half of their bodies from view. From the looks of it, OPHELIA peeked through the ninja's lower raiment. He placed a hand to his lips and looked slyly at Zed. "Zeddy, you're half-mast already!" he teased, licking his lips in anticipation.

Zed was both screeching and flailing harder now, making a great wind and looking like he wanted to fly off of the ground. "That is so sick and disgusting." Darius snorted. "YEAHHH!" Ashe said, masking the fact she found it erotic. Leona and Irelia looked away to hide their bleeding noses. Darius marched onward to deal with the brat. He strutted past Zed and into the stairs.

"OHO! YOU SHOW HIM, DARIUS! DON'T LET HIM DEFILE ME! GET HIM! GET HIM! GET HIM!" Zed yelled, still flapping like an Angry Bird. "Shut up. Take a good look at your crotch 'cuz it's tenting." Darius snapped. Zed yelped and did what the Noxian said. It wasn't tenting, to Zed's relief. But it wasn't unexcited as well. Now THAT was disturbing.

"Why is the trickster the only one here? And why isn't he making the first move?" Irelia asked. "Maybe they thought he would be enough to hold us off?" Leona replied. Darius heard this and snarled. He leapt halfway of meeting OPHELIA and brought down his oversized axe overhead. "It's too easy. It's almost like…" Zed said, recovering slightly from the massive hormone attack.

Eerie laughing began to fill the air.

Zed, Leona, Ashe and Irelia looked to the skies to see the source: laughing corpses falling from the skies. The things were howling hysterically, their arms outstretched as if they want to hug the life out of their victims. Their eyes were seething with mad excitement. A chill ran down their spines.

As the grisly rain fell upon them, it dawned on everyone else.

"IT'S A TRAP!" Zed yelled at Darius but it was too late for the Noxian. There was a huge explosion of light and three bright beams shot to the sky. As the three beams vanished, the Champions watched in shock as Cassiopeia, Azir and Glenda appeared in its wake. They have been brought back from the dead.

"NOOOOOOW!" Glenda yelled. She shifted back into planetoid form and gravitated Darius off to the Summoning Platform. The Hand of Noxus had a piece of the Nexus Obelisk's mind and it blew him away… Literally.

Gravekeeper Alex appeared from the jungle side entrance. Cackling madly, he slammed his coffin to the ground. "ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!"

Waves and waves of the walking dead sprouted off the ground like flowers in spring. Wretched Zombies and Volatile Zombies charged at the unsuspecting Champions, filling the air with disturbing giggles. There was a powerful beam of sunfire that descended from the heavens. It struck Leona as she defiantly raised her shield and the light fractured off to form a shield around her allies. It held back the dangers they were facing.

OPHELIA whistled loudly as he called his pets. As Leona held her ground, the battering of the zombies, minions and Champions combined had taken its toll. She was sweating profusely. Her legs gave way and she sunk to the ground. She still held her shield high.

Alex and OPHELIA's pets came rushing from the jungle.

Blue Sentinel, Sentries, Crimson Raptor, Raptors, Greater Murk Wolf and Murk Wolves came crashing on the shield.

The Sentries, Crimson Raptor and Raptors hailed it with a combination of magical blasts and razor feathers. Leona began to shook, her valiant hand wavered.

The Blue Sentinel, Greater Murk Wolf and Murk Wolves join in on the assault. Leona's raised hand buckled. The shield began to phase in and out, struggling.

A humongous ball of fire expelled by the Dragon hammered against the weakening shield. Leona's eyes bulged as she struggled to maintain it.

"GO! GO! GO!" Leona yelled.

Irelia and Zed began to recall. Ashe, hesitated for a moment. "But-!" she cried. The Solari glared at her. "GO! GODSDAMNIT!" Leona yelled. Ashe called in on the magical power that would spirit her away from the danger.

The Frejordian's last image of the Radiant Dawn was the Dragon, divebombing from the heavens and crashing headfirst into the shield. With a dwindling hum, the shield broke into pieces and Leona was left at the enemy's mercy.

Yet despite all that, the Rakkorian held her head high, brazenly faced her fate.


	10. Chapter 10- Target Practice Part 5

**Chapter 10**

**Target Practice Part 5**

* * *

**League of Legends**

**Institute of War**

**Valoran**

**Runeterra**

**9:45 a.m.**

* * *

Summoner's Rift

* * *

**WARNING: **(For maximum caution, read this using the Honest Trailers guy's voice)

**The following program has been rated OP. **

**Any similarity to noobs, carrying or feeding, is purely coincidental.**

**The author is not responsible for any psychological or physiological effects that happen after reading this. Symptoms may include ragequitting, trashtalking, delusion, hallucination, loss of hair, loss of sanity, loss of money, loss of ELO, moodiness, anti-social behavior, psychopathic tendencies, sudden urge to do something stupid, obsessive-compulsiveness, voices in your head, seeing dead people, teleporting to other worlds, sudden love for Twilight or 50 Shades of Grey, sudden obsession with the dark magical arts, going on a quest to find the Elder Wand, Resurrection Stone and Cloak of Invisibility, making out with your dog's butt and raising an army of zombie vegetables for world domination. **

**If you feel increased sexual or gambling tendencies, have a nice weekend then consult your doctor.**

* * *

At the Top Lane…

The Exemplar of Demacia led the charge. Like a hero valiantly rising to lead his people against the tides of darkness that threatened to spill over the land, the young prince roared as he led the march.

But this time, he was leading the living dead. They were fearsome as they were feral and their movements shown barely controlled savage instinct. Following Alex's instruction, Jarvan destroyed the outer towers and immediately went for the inner towers.

Jarvan knew what these undead could do. There something with them that made him uneasy. Unlike the Shadow Isles undead who bore a semblance of sentience with them, these animated corpses were pure animalistic. They had no qualms who to kill, when to kill or how to kill. Like weapons of war, they were meant to cull those who stood before their master.

Remembering Alex's new form, Jarvan felt deep cold in his belly. Somehow, Alex had banished the fear he felt with just a few gestures. Jarvan blushed at the memory. He sure hoped no Demacian ever saw that. The prince showing fear is an embarrassment. The royalty should show no fear or hesitation in the face of adversity. Jarvan sighed. Fat chance at that.

Jarvan picked up his pace but the zombies outran him. They swarmed at the tower. Jarvan didn't know it was possible to murder a building but, hey, kudos to the zombies. They managed it. Jarvan shivered as the zombies ate their way through the structure. They tore brick and stone as if they tore limb and flesh. The bloated ones charged in and imploded, very much like suicide bombers. The shower of viscera and blood seem to invigorate the other undead. In a matter of seconds, all that remained was rubble.

Then the magic of the Gravekeeper lost its course. The undead looked tired and childlike. With their bare hands, they dug the earth to make a deep hole. Yawning like children, they slept upon their graves and Jarvan watched as the soil covered them unassisted. The earth had reclaimed her dead.

Then Jarvan saw something he didn't believe he'd ever see.

Merrily bouncing and dancing, a pair of antennas poking out of a moving pool of water was moving towards him. The antennas played with a small ball of light, passing in from one stalk to another. The pool moved to where Jarvan was. Though he stood atop the pool itself, he didn't sink into its depths. Speaking of depths, Jarvan saw the Rift Scuttler deep within it.

The elusive pacifist clicked happily up at him. Then it made some gestures with its claws. "You want me to follow you?" Jarvan asked, getting the hint. The creature clicked. With the magical pool lending him increased speed, Jarvan sped to where the creature led him.

* * *

Jarvan ran past the Blue Sentinel camp and almost halfway past the Greater Murk Wolf camp when an explosion of sunlight erupted from near the allied middle lane base entrance.

Unable to react in time, the prince was struck by a solar projection then it was followed up by a sphere of light teleporting to the area. Leona's eyes widened when she saw where and who she teleported at.

Fist burning with sunfire, she struck the Demacian, blinding him momentarily and disrupting his sense of direction. Leona scrambled off to run away. But her path was blocked by two fearsome entities: Rift Scuttlers looking as harmless as cooked vegetables on platter. Until the two began to body-block her…

Everywhere she tried to go, they dashed swiftly to knock her off her feet. And when she tried to get up, they either went under her to flip her over her back or jump on her and pin her down.

The Exemplar would be recovering shortly. She barely had enough time to get away. She conjured two spheres of sunfire and sent it at each of the Scuttlers. It exploded, doing a small damage against them but throwing them off into the air to land elsewhere.

Leona scrambled up again and ran. A mighty roar rang from the heavens and Leona saw the Dragon swooping down, mighty talons bared and fiery breath prepared. Leona dashed to the now empty Baron lair and focused. Dissolving into a sphere of light, she zoomed off through the cliff. Praying with all her heart, Leona heard a massive thud as the Dragon crashed against the cavern wall.

Laughing heartily and thanking her good fortune, Leona set off to the relative safety of her allied base.

* * *

Jarvan scrambled as he chased after the Solari. He watched as the Dragon slam against the wall. It would be very humorous but the situation didn't call for a laugh. He thought he could jump over the recovering beast's body. But he tripped and landed face-first into the muck.

Looking back, Jarvan saw the Rift Scuttler's antenna wrapped firmly around his ankle. So that's what tripped him.

As his anger rose inside him, Alex and Glenda poked their heads around the corner. "She got away?" Alex asked. Jarvan fumed then counted to ten. He was gonna have another earful.

"Yes. Fire away." Jarvan sighed. He wasn't going to blame the Rift Scuttler for this. It was childish and bratty. It was an excuse for not doing the job right. To his surprise, Alex and Glenda high-fived. "Yes! We did it! A success! A fucking success!" the two chorused.

Jarvan looked at them in askance. "You, my dear, have given us the best asset we may have yet." Alex said. Alex and Glenda hugged him tight. Over their shoulders, Jarvan looked at Cassiopeia and Azir appearing from the corner. He raised an eyebrow at the two and the snake woman and the Ascendant merely shrugged.

They also noticed that Glenda had taken on another form. It was a Vladat. Vampiric alien species from the worlds of Anur Vladias and Anur Transyl. Whampire.

The two laughed maniacally. "Now, victory is cemented! A throne borne of the treacherous, falsifiers, liars and deceivers is a throne no less! Hallowed with the blood of the sacrificed and made holy by twisted truth and lies, only those who wish to see the world burn may get to glimpse it!" Alex declared dramatically.

"BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD! SKULLS FOR THE SKULL THRONE!" Glenda yelled.

"What the hell just happened?" Jarvan asked. "Wait and see, princey. Wait and see." Cassiopeia said, her eyes wild with anticipation.

* * *

The rest of the match dragged on. Unlike so many practice matches before, this one stretched on longer than an official one.

Unknowingly, each Champion's heart was elated in the course of the battle, their spirits fueled on by the energy and enthusiasm of the newcomers. They didn't realize that it was quite a long time ago that they actually enjoyed fighting on the Fields of Justice. Being summoned again and again each day was quite tedious for Champions. Only Summoners seem to think it's fun but then again, all Summoners do is, well, summon.

It's been a long time since they entered battle with a smile on their faces and eagerness at their hearts. They were finally clashing with someone who promised a whole bunch of challenge.

* * *

Leona was pretty much the target of Alex and Glenda.

Her escaping the entire team earned her their ire, it seems.

As the game went, they had to protect the Solari as she appeared in every fight.

Whether she was going for a warding trip to camps or brushes, the enemy team would seem to know where she is. Leona would try to fight back and retreat when she wouldn't hold out. Of course, the allied team would come to her rescue and it would result in the death of several members, most of the time it was their team.

The enemy kept rinsing and repeating the same formula until the three Champions on the other side were fully fed. Mainly it was because of the fact that the gold was only split three ways instead of the standard five. So the gold and experience advantage was pretty high.

They were so busy with dealing with the opposing team that they never even asked how the hell the newcomers keep find Leona. It's almost as if they had a spy among them.

Ganks almost always failed spectacularly. The team attributed it to the wards. Interestingly, the Oracle's Lens couldn't pick up a single one of the said suspects. Then what was it?

They felt particularly limited. They couldn't enter the blue team's jungle without the Rift spirits announcing their presence.

They had no access of the Dragon Slayer and Hand of Baron buffs, Alex had seen to that. And he made sure his team wore it all the time.

Finally, Leona seemed to be too unnerved with the newcomers to fight competently whenever they appeared. The Radiant Dawn always hit someone with a stray sunfire. The added friendly fire took its toll on them as well, Zed in particular. Leona's light banished his shadows in the most ill of time.

The Champions weighed their chances…

"Is something wrong, Leona?" Ashe asked her Support. The Rakkorian looked at her with a faraway glance. She seemed distant as hell. "Nothing. There's nothing wrong. Everything is according to plan." Leona replied. As Ashe went back to the others to tell them what the Solari said, she remarked.

"She doesn't seem to be herself. She's like a robot in fact."

* * *

Then there was the relentless push. Someone had to do something about that. They've already lost bot and top lane from OPHELIA and his pets. Baron Nashor had devoured more turrets than they would've liked.

They couldn't do anything about it because the opposing team chose this time to engage in teamfights as well. It was a two-pronged assault and they were being forced with their backs to the wall. No way out… SHIT!

"How about we go down in a blaze of glory?" Zed asked. The Champions were drenched in their sweat. Their clothes felt gross and sticky but they didn't notice it.

The thrill of the challenge charged them and lent them stamina beyond their means. After all, the newcomers were still yelling their senseless battlecries.

* * *

It was the final confrontation.

Both team's nexus was vulnerable.

Zed and Leona did a very good job of synergizing with each other's abilities. It was mainly due to their efforts that the lanes were pushed so much. Darius took on a martyr's role, quite unlikely for him. Since he was the only non-magic user on their team, he tanked for them, enduring the brunt of the magical attacks.

Cassiopeia and Azir were the main damage dealers on the opposing side mainly because Whampire Glenda and Gravekeeper Alex had presented them excellent situations they could capitalize fully. Jarvan had become the tank for them. Curiously, the prince didn't like it at first but Alex whispered something to him that made him sparkle and do it eagerly.

"He's become a puppy." Cassiopeia muttered. But she wasn't disgusted. She's never seen the Exemplar this agreeable.

She was, however, still teeming with excitement what the trick the newcomers would try to pull off this time. She waited patiently, knowing her waiting will pay for itself on full.

The opposing team decided to pin their chances on this final assault.

They were outnumbered already. Most of the opposing team's success in pushing their lanes was mainly due to Baron Nashor and the Dragon.

Each boss monster had pushed considerably forward the minions, taking down structures on their wake. When enemies tried to neutralize them, Gravekeeper Alex sent them a zombie horde as a distraction while his pets flew away.

Darius was itching with uneasiness. OPHELIA and his pets defended the enemy base and they were successful with it. A combined effort of Baron Nashor and the Dragon was pushing unto the bottom lane, a slow but sure activity. A zombie horde was devouring their way up top.

The zombies won't be strong enough to deter the relentless push of Super Minions but the wave will be weakened considerably. The Hand of Noxus had his doubts with this. But then again, they have no choice. The newcomers' tricks took its eventual toll. Darius caught a glimpse of Irelia hesitating. She didn't like having no choice either.

He also looked over to the Radiant Dawn. She's been peculiar lately. She's concentrated and all but this degree of focus was unnatural even for her. Also, she had an insane amount of luck. The newcomers have never been able to get her and neither has any Champion for that matter.

"Sun girl's taking this shit way too seriously." Darius thought. He returned his focus. His enemies were decked with jungle blessings: Crest of Insight, Razor Sharp and Hand of Baron and a full stack of Dragon Slayer.

Shit's real.

* * *

Each side was deathly silent. Their minions loomed behind each Champion. As each second tick by, Darius telepathically knew that Baron Nashor and the Dragon were creeping closer to their nexus.

Glenda looked over at Alex who grinned deviously back at her. "Smarts, no matter how this ends. I enjoyed myself immensely. Victory or defeat, I think y'all are awesome and amazing. It's my honor as a newcomer here to have clashed with y'all." Glenda said, looking earnestly and awestruck at each Champion. A bout of chuckling rang out.

"You're worthy opponents too." Zed admitted, shocking everyone. Alex blew him a kiss and an adoring look. Zed flapped his hands again. "FOR GODS' SAKES! STOP THAT!" he yelled again, crimson face hidden under his mask.

"On the count of three, all hell breaks loose." Alex said.

**"****1!"** Irelia summoned a battalion of spectral blades. Azir summoned his own battalion of Sand Soldiers as well.

**"****2!"** Baron Nashor and the Dragon had entered the enemy base and made contact with the vulnerable nexus. Minions were responding to the monstrous threat.

**"****3!"** Zed summoned a coterie of shadow warriors, his blades at the ready. Ashe had pulled back and drew what must have been the biggest Enchanted Crystal Arrow she's ever made.

**"****NOW!" **Alex yelled. Zed charged, followed by Irelia. The two aimed for Glenda and Alex, knowing the two would pull off other tricks when left alone. Whampire Glenda emitted a powerful scream that sent both warriors backwards. She and Alex opened up an item from their hiding places.

The Puzzlebox. Configuring the alien device and solving its puzzle mysteriously well despite having no idea how they could in the first place, the Puzzlebox hummed to life as its cubes and jutting corners was rearranged to create a perfect box.

Four Puzzlebox Mages and four Puzzlebox Warriors appeared out of thin air. "ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE!" Alex summoned a horde of moving corpses. He redirected the living dead to charge straight through the Champions, ignoring them entirely. Glenda's wall of sound lent the two kids relative safety from the clash.

To the Champions' surprise, the zombies made a wall to separate the minion wave of the opposing team, pinning the enemy minions off the side. With a clear path created, Glenda stood behind the Puzzlebox minions and screeched again. Her forceful voice sent the Puzzlebox minions to a considerable distance forward. The four alien monsters made a beeline toward the enemy nexus.

"Glenda, again!" Alex yelled. He and Glenda pulled each pulled the Codex and tapped into its power. Two bolts of lightning shot off from the tomes and made a run at Ashe.

Irelia stepped in front of Ashe and conjured a shield of spectral blades. Each blade siphoned the arc of energy from each of the Codex lightning. Ashe shot her barrage of giant arrows at Cassiopeia and Azir and the two screamed as ice began to invade their bodies. If this continued, Azir and Cassiopeia would be eliminated from this fight.

Ashe suddenly screamed. Her allies looked at her. A sword ran through her body, jutting out of her belly. Leona stabbed the Frost Archer. "Why?" Ashe asked, looking in disbelief as blood poured from her wound and her mouth.

Then she saw it. Underneath the Rakkorian's helm was an organism stuck to Leona's forehead. A Corruptura. A symbiotic organism Vladats use to mentally control their hapless victims.

ALL THIS TIME. ALL. THIS. FUCKING. TIME. Leona was under Glenda's control.

Everything made sense now.

The poor engages that Leona made. All that unfortunate run-ins with the enemy. All that warding invasions. Those were made to flush her allies out of hiding. All those seemingly deflected spells that somehow conveniently landed on her allies. It all cemented the fact they were pulled into thinking that Leona was hard engaging for the team. They fell for it like a fish falls for water.

The Radiant Dawn called down a blast of sunfire from the skies and it exploded right in the middle of her teammates. Zed and Irelia was sent backwards, crashing into the walls. Darius was sent forward. The general looked up to see Cassiopeia looking down at him. Then he felt himself turning into stone.

Irelia rushed back into the fray. She met Azir's Sand Soldiers head-on.

Meanwhile…

OPHELIA had teleported into the enemy base to join the siege. He joined Baron Nashor, the Dragon and the Puzzlebox minions in the taking down of the core.

Every once in a while, OPHELIA called forth nature's magic to heal his allies all over the map.

He sent blast after blast of light at the nexus. And the huge crystal was beginning to give way.

Victory was inching closer.

* * *

Glenda wasn't making much use of Leona. Ashe realized that their intent wasn't just as evil as she thought. They wanted to take out the Radiant Dawn in the final fight while luring them to a disadvantage beforehand.

"These kids are tough." Ashe thought in admiration. Using her last strength, the queen of the Avarosans crawled closer to Leona. She wrapped her arms around Leona's legs and pulled herself up.

Coughing up blood and feeling her life sapping away with each movement, Ashe summoned her strength and pulled off the Solarai's helm. She pulled off an ice arrow from her quiver and stabbed the Corruptura. She watched as the thing screech and writhe as it died.

Smiling smartly, Ashe fell down and moved no more.

Leona snapped out of Whampire Glenda's control. She felt herself waking up. Though she knew what was happening, she couldn't control her actions even if she wanted to.

There were lapses in the control where she felt she was almost herself but they were short-lived.

Leona saw a dead Ashe on the ground, the ice arrow that killed the Corruptura still in her hand. "Thanks, partner. I won't let you die in vain." she said grimly.

She called down a massive pillar of sunfire and it crashed down with a vengeance on the earth. Unlike the other pillars she called, this one stayed put: a burning testament of the power of the sun. Glenda screamed as the light burned her skin. She was a vampire alien after all.

Shifting into bat form, she hid into Alex's coffin. She saw Azir summon a ball of sand around himself to protect against Irelia's spectral blades.

"Cass! Stop that!" Glenda yelled. Cassiopeia averted her petrifying gaze from Darius who panted and collapsed to the ground. Glenda spat a Corruptura at Darius' forehead. The Noxian's head bowed down and rose again. He stood up with all the grace of a puppet on strings. The Hand of Noxus charged at Leona.

Suddenly…

BBBOOOOOOOOOMMM!

All five members of the blue team were caught in an explosion of frost, leaving them trapped in the wake of ice. Ashe.

"How the hell did she revive that fast?!" Glenda screeched. Irelia charged. She was going for Alex and Glenda. "Oh, shit." Alex and Glenda chorused as countless spectral blades rained from the skies, aimed directly at them. Then the two heard a mighty roar. There was a crack then the sound of breaking. It was Jarvan. His body was alight with the fury of Demacia.

He leapt high into the air right in front of the two and slammed his fist with unnatural strength. Jagged earth rose from the ground and formed a barrier. While the earthen shield had blocked most of the attacks, stray blades zoomed from the gaps and straight towards the two.

Cataclysm's wall also provided a secondary benefit. It blocked Leona's sunfire to a degree. Glenda, still in bat form, flew off of Alex's coffin and screeched with a force enough to send the careening blades back.

Cassiopeia arc her body high and dived into the ground. How the hell she did it was beyond Alex and Glenda's explanation. From the hole she made, the last of the serpent woman's trail slipped to underground. "She's going to the nexus. It's time to end this." Jarvan said. As the Serpent's Embrace traveled underground, she crossed paths with Ashe who was scrambling to help her teammates in the losing fight.

As two Champions and two newcomers plus a mind-controlled Darius held off the team of four, Alex had a plan. "G, I'm changing again! We need to win this because it might be the last time we're gonna do this shit! I'm gonna bring out the superweapon!" Alex said.

"Superweapon?" Glenda asked. Alex nodded resolutely. "It's never failed me before. This is the WEAPON OF MASS DESTRUCTION!" Alex said. Glenda grinned wickedly. "Then do it!" she said.

Alex gave her a sad look. "G, I just want you to know that I might change when I transform. No matter how this ends, I want you to know that I loved our gang so much. I won't be myself when I change but I want you to know that deep inside, in my true heart, I love you all." Alex said sadly.

"SMARTS!" Glenda yelled. She was suddenly thrust aside as all of the other people around as the dark forces erupted around Alex again. His transformation was different this time. "Don't let my sacrifice be in vain…" Alex said before the mist claimed him.

First there was just the red mist. Then it was joined by other colors: blue, green, violet, yellow, orange, white, black. They shuffled into a chaotic storm.

Second then was a heavenly smell, an indescribable scent that was purely attractive. Then with it came a feeling of deep longing and maddening inspiration. Like the missing parts and pieces of their hearts was thrown into prominence and the clue to eternal happiness finally revealed.

Third was a mystical event. A rain of roses and ash fell from the heavens. Gently the roses graced the earth with a carpet of crimson while the ashes danced in the wind like leaves.

Alex's transformation was complete. A scantily clad figure with skin of purple, curved and elegant horns protruded from the head and a forked tail swished gaily around. The figure's hands ended in elongated claws and the feet were like hooves and talons combined.

Glenda breathed. She knew the lore of this creature.

_"__Beware, my child, when you hear her song_

_Coming from the darkness outside_

_She's calling for you, my child _

_To the harlot's feast reside_

_You will feed her hunger, child_

_Your soul her wine and meat_

_Yet you will feel no pain from the devouring_

_Only the darkened pleasure of the feat_

_And with what sanity remains, my child_

_Your salvation's numbered few_

_Only with dying horrible realization_

_Know the Succubus has claimed her due"_

"Succubus." Glenda breathed. Succubus Alex looked around his surroundings. When Alex said that he'd change, Glenda pretty much knew what he meant the moment she saw Succubus.

There was an uninterested look in his eyes but there was a choking aura of allure around him as well.

There no hint of recognition in Alex's eyes but those live coal-red eyes took on a gleeful light when he spotted some victims.

"Alluringggggg…" Alex moaned seductively. Chills of unholy ecstasy ran down the spine of every listener.

Irelia was the first to fall. A pair of gigantic demonic wings erupted from her back and enclosed upon her, an inescapable cage of desire. Within the grasp of the wings, the Will of the Blades screamed and begged… Her voice was riddled with sexual bliss. "Boy, I sure did pick a wrong time to respawn." Ashe said before the same thing happened to her.

"Jarvan, attack Alex!" Glenda yelled at the prince. The Demacian snapped from his lustful reverie and looked at her. "But-!" he started. "NOW!" Glenda yelled again. Sighing, the prince charged at Succubus Alex.

Alex merely looked his way, a sly smile creeping along his lips. Chibi (Super deformed mega-cute blah-blah-blah for the non-otaku) succubi appeared around Alex, wearing mischievous smiles and little tridents. They flew in a circular formation as Alex blew a kiss at Jarvan's direction.

Immediately, the prince slackened, his face was claimed by a dreamy, lovestruck look. He backed away shyly as Alex approached. The prince's eyes darted left to right. He played with his fingers and twiddled with his hair self-consciously. He gave a boyish grin at Alex as they finally stood inches from each other. "YYYUUUCCCKKK!" Glenda screeched. Leona finally puked, not from disgust but hormone overdrive.

"MYEYESMYEYESMYEYES!" Glenda wailed.

"Aaahhh!" Leona cried. It disturbed the Solari that the sound she made was riddled with lusty excitement. The cage of wings came for her. She struggled with it. Weakly, she tried to wretch it from her back but the magic was inescapable. Her body screamed to be sated in the bacchanalia of lust.

With all the will she could muster, Leona summoned the power of the sun. This was a special attack that only she and Zed could pull off together. A sure-kill mega-technique. "Where the light goes so too does the shadows." Leona said.

An orange aura began to pour off from her and her eyes darkened like a solar eclipse. Not even knowing about it, Alex's team base was suddenly plunged into total darkness. The Radiant Dawn had sapped every bit of sunlight from it.

Irelia and Ashe were claimed by lust. She was going down but she ain't gonna be going down by herself. Leona struggled to waddle over to where Zed was.

"I love guys who show a little skin…" Alex said with a matching innocent and seductive look. The men yelled excitedly. They began throwing off their articles of clothing one by one. Azir's hand unknowingly crept to his chest. He was ready to pull his feathers by the handfuls if it meant impressing this amazing creature. "Oh, no, no, no, no… Not you, dear thing. We could make a castle of sand together. And do all sorts of things in it." Alex cooed. He began caressing the underside of Azir's beak.

The Shuriman went bonkers and began so summon sand with the promise of the naughty things to come. Alex's hands danced over the Ascendant's body as he toiled to fulfill his desires. Now, Jarvan, Darius and Zed stood deliciously half-naked before Alex. He licked his lips as his eyes roved over their muscle-bound bodies. "We should have some fun, right?" Alex said. His thralls could only look worshipfully at the object of their affection.

Before the Succubus could turn this fanfic into a pornographic material, Whampire Glenda in bat form dove at him. "OW! OW! OW! OW! OW! OW!" Alex yelled as the bat grabbed a handful of hair and pulled him upwards. Before she could be swatted off, Glenda screeched massive cacophonies into Alex's ears, dove down farther and gave him a wedgie.

"YOU STUPID BITCH, GIVE ME ALEX BACK!" she screeched decimating decibels into Alex's ears. Then suddenly Alex looked almost himself, like the haze of lust was lifting. Alex smiled in understanding and Glenda looked ever grateful from having brought him back from hell.

"I know, Glenda. And I'm sorry." Alex said. Tears rolled down a relieved Glenda's bat face. "SSSAAA! Join our communion of flesh! Partake in our union of bodies! Let yourself be drowned in the glorious desire!" Alex said dramatically. A vein ticked on Glenda's body. It was followed by an explosion of sound.

The little drama had given Leona time to walk right up to Zed and punch him hard. Zed looked at Leona and the spell was momentarily lifted.

Gazing longingly at what should've been an orgy by now, Zed summoned all his willpower and charged towards the enemy base. His last sight of Leona was the Rakkorian succumbing to the spell and the demonic wings closing on her.

Zed dashed with supernatural agility, leaving only an afterimage of himself. Zooming through the numbers of minions trying to stop his charge, Zed opened his eyes and they were darkness itself cast by the blood red moon. Wisps of shadowy magic emanated from him and his technique was absolute.

**"****10!" **OPHELIA, Baron Nashor and the Dragon were halfway through destroying the Nexus.

**"****9!" **Zed ravaged minions in a wave of serrated shadow-blades.

**"****8!" **The push to the Nexus was sadly halted because of Alex changing into Succubus, thusly destroying Gravekeeper's zombies.

**"****7!" **Zed was breathing in and breathing out. Absolute concentration must be mustered.

**"****6!" **Puzzlebox Mages and Puzzlebox Warriors were finally able to push through the minion blockade.

**"****5!" **"I humbly ask for your aid. Descend upon this unholy place and make it pure. Exorcise this demon as you have so many before. Listen both peacefully and calmly and speak the Kannon's chant onto our wished place. " Zed intoned.

**"****4!" **Cassiopeia burst from the underground, an explosion of light accompanied her as her visage petrified the minions desperately defending the Nexus. The resistance vanished in an instant.

**"****3!" **"Our plane is a vast, violent tundra. Gods from all places, gather here." Zed continued to intone.

**"****2!" **Cassiopeia, OPHELIA and his pets felt elation as the Nexus finally crumbled. It broke down and the structure's magic hummed into nothingness.

**"****1!"** **"****RIN! PYOU! TOU! SHAH! KAI! CHIN! RETSU! ZAI! ZEN!"** Zen intoned. A sound then came to him: the sound of someone exhaling. Darkness was now in full circle. Zen dashed towards the Nexus, still visible to him in the inky, soul-sucking blackness of the dark.

"Mada mada dane…" Zed whispered, smirking. The shadows came to him, they embraced the soul of one who embraced as well.

**"****HISSATSU! KAMI NO KAGEHIME!" **Zed yelled. The entire base exploded in a blast of shadowy tentacles erupting from a velvet portal accompanied by the gaily laughing of a woman's voice.

"Zeddy~!" a singsong voice called from behind Zed. The Ionian felt himself harden. Soft and delicate hands roamed over his chest, his stomach and descended into his lower garments. He felt the softness cradle his aroused length. "SHIT."

**DEFEAT!**


	11. Chapter 11- Field Trip

**Chapter 11**

**Field Trip**

* * *

**League of Legends**

**Institute of War**

**Valoran**

**Runeterra**

**10:37 a.m.**

* * *

The eight Champions and two newcomers reappeared in blaze of light at the Summoning Chambers.

Everyone was gobsmacked.

There was absolute silence until it was broken.

A frustrated Glenda looked at Succubus Alex, levitating above the ground, moaning and groaning loudly as four males worshipped his skin with their eager mouths.

The female Champions have been freed the moment they were spirited away. They shot a look of contempt at Alex's direction.

The men however… They weren't even sure if it was still the Succubus' allure that kept them that way.

"More~! More~!" Alex wailed ecstatically.

"THAT'S IT!" Glenda yelled. She jammed the Omnitrix into gear again. Gravattack.

She levitated the men off her best friend, pinning them securely against the walls. She then lifted Alex and slammed him back to the concrete hard.

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! She repeatedly hammered him.

"She's not holding back!" everyone thought incredulously.

BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM! Glenda slammed him even harder. "Alex, get a grip!" she yelled. She brought down one of her massive hands and slapped Alex hard. Whereas the witnesses expected Alex's head to snap from the blow, he just flinched back a few. "As to be expected from a monster!" they all thought.

"I surrender!" Alex declared dramatically.

"As I leave this plane, I've once more fallen to a killjoy's hands. Worry not, my children, I will return. Until then… Spread the gospel of lust and carnal passion!" Alex cried forlornly as the essence of Succubus finally dissipated.

"SCREW YOU, BITCH!" Cassiopeia, Leona, Ashe, Irelia and Glenda yelled, flashing a massive finger at Alex.

Circe Alex reappeared in a puff of smoke. He looked dazed and tired at the same time. "Did we win?" he asked groggily. Alex rose and groaned. "I feel like I got hit by a bus." he complained. He looked at Glenda, yawned and rubbed his eyes. "SO CUTEEE!" everyone in the room thought.

"Actually the enemy team won. By a 4.075 sec. lead." Karma said apologetically.

Alex's eyes welled. "I sacrificed my street cred and for what?!" he sobbed before he finally bawled. Glenda joined him and was soon sobbing alongside him. "You gave it all, Smarts, you gave it all. It just wasn't enough." she wailed. Alex bawled harder. "You just gotta learn to let these things go." Glenda hiccupped. "It wasn't meant to be?" Alex asked. Glenda nodded.

Both hugged each other tightly. "I KNEW WE SHOULD HAVE CHEATED HARDER!" Alex said. Glenda wailed before replying. "WE WERE SO CLOSE! SO CLOSE!" she cried. "BUT WE TRIPPED AT THE FINISH LINE!" both yowled. Tears spilled from their faces like a waterfall.

"If it's any consolation, you did manage to force Zed to use his legendary technique." Nami said. Alex and Glenda looked up at her.

"What technique?" both chorused. Nami giggled.

"Advent of the Night Queen." Karma supplied. Every Summoner and Champion within earshot knew that move and shivered with both shock and awe. Invoking the power of the Mother of Shadows was not an easy feat. Only those truly immersed in its ways would have the honor and the burden of summoning her wrath unto her cult's foes.

"Adve-what-what?" Glenda and Alex chorused. Karma sighed. "It's a special technique employed only by the most skilled of the practitioners of the Arts of the Shadows. To put it bluntly, its method and invocation is very similar to exorcism. Unlike exorcism, however, it banishes the living from the world. In a way, it exorcises life." Karma explained.

"Whatever the hell that meant, I'm sure it couldn't stand a chance if we went all out." Alex said tartly. Seeing as how he performed in the battlefield, it may not have been an empty boast at all. But no one wanted to find out for themselves.

"It's been a great honor clashing blades with you." Jarvan's voice came as the male Champions approached them. "It's been a while since I felt the battle rush. Thanks for reminding me how it feels like." Darius reluctantly seconded.

Alex and Glenda's eyes widened as they saw the half-naked men. Darius. Jarvan. Zed.

Rugged bodies, honed chests, jutting pecs, chiseled abs, bulging biceps and exuding raw sexual aggression…

Alex's jaw dropped and his hands flew to cover Glenda's eyes. "Would you put on some clothes?! We're not barbarians, man!" he said indignantly.

"Yep. He's back!" everyone thought as the males hurried to find something to cover their tops.

"JYGGALAG!" Carol's booming voice shrieked as she sailed into the room, hopping madly with barely contained excitement.

She was followed by Sammy, Marcus, Kit, Maria and Lady Katarina. Lady Katarina and Sammy, Alex noticed, smiled like cats that ate the canary.

"Hey, Sheogorath! How's it hanging?" Alex said apologetically. He was so going to get it. Making an actual appearance in the Fields of Justice without your equally fanatical best friends is not cool. Not cool at all.

"THAT WAS SSSOOOOOO COOL!" Carol squeaked. Alex sighed in relief.

"Yeah. Why the hell didn't you wake us up? We only got there midway. Tsk!" Marcus complained, arms raised and nested behind his head. "Sorry." Alex and Glenda chorused.

"A good thing we won that bet or we wouldn't let it slide easily." Lady Katarina said. She juggled quite a considerable bag of gold. She wagged it with a rogue smile.

"Kurikakakamakurikurikuripakikikima?!" Maria gurgled, frantically pulling at Alex's hand. She was aiming a very concentrated look at Azir _(Who was backing away slowly)_. "Yesss. That's who you think who that is." Glenda supplied. Maria fainted on cue.

"You wouldn't believe-" Alex started when suddenly he and Glenda felt a powerful surge of fatigue wash over them.

They fell to the floor with a thud.

While their friends and concerned watchers rushed to their aid, Alex lifted a despondent hand to Carol.

"WATER! FOOD! BATH! BED! IN THAT ORDER!"

* * *

Four hours later…

"You should've seen your faces! It was precious!" Carol laughed so hard she's practically crying from it. Marcus, Sammy and Kit were too busy roaring with laughter to add something into that.

"Wait, wait, wait. This is the best part!" Carol said. She flattened herself on her stomach on the floor. Pretending to crawl slowly, she raised a desperate hand, a face of horror on her face. "HELPPPPPP!" she moaned like a banshee.

In a blink, she was back on her feet, kneeling on the ground with a look of concern. In another blink, she went back to her lying posture and wailed. "WATER! FOOD! BATH! BED! IN THAT ORDER!" she moaned then slumped.

Lady Katarina and Maria, recovering from their hysterics, went down again in another bout of hilarity. "MWAHAHAHA! WATER! FOOD! BATH! BED!" Lady Katarina yelled, phasing erratically between her humanoid thorn form and gorgon-like form. Maria's laughter sprang out Murloc spittle and slime everywhere. No one seemed to mind.

Glenda looked away, desperately hiding her own giggles. Alex sat there like a stone, blushing hard.

It was then that the sudden toll of heavy magic use suddenly grasped Alex and Glenda, though mostly Alex. Then to top off the most embarrassing defeat was the most embarrassing scene ever aired in all of Runeterra.

Alex said the famous words that spawned all over the blitznet and papers.

"Why the hell do I get myself into these kinds of situations?!" Alex finally wailed. He threw his hands into the air in exasperation and slumped into the floor.

"But it's hilarious!" Carol insisted, patting Alex on the back. "For you guys…" came Alex's small voice over his curled form.

Alex suddenly bolted up. "That reminds me! We need to get to Demacia to undo the damages you did to that wildlife preserve." he said, snapping his fingers in remembrance.

"ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP!" his friends yelled, clapping hard.

"I'll send a telepathic message to the Council where we're going and everything should be just fine." Alex said. He concentrated and red wisps of smoke zoomed off of his head and flew upwards, disappearing as it passed through the concrete.

"ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP! ROAD TRIP!" his friends yelled. Alex rolled his eyes.

Then suddenly the room was swallowed by red mist. It happened so suddenly that his friends looked frightened for a moment. They calmed down a bit. The mist billowed around and collapsed on them.

The raging mist parted slightly every so often and Sammy, Marcus, Kit, Glenda, Maria, Carol and Lady Katarina watched as the room of theirs disappeared and shift…

* * *

**Telhadrin Wildlife Preserve**

**Demacian Sancturies**

**Demacia**

**Valoran **

**Runeterra**

* * *

Demacian workers and citizens watched in a combination of awe and trepidation as red mist poured from the sky like scarlet tears and coalesced into a swirling globe of red several inches above the ground.

"It's alright, citizens. Have no fear." The Captain of the Dauntless Vanguard, Garen Crownguard, assured the watchers. He said those words himself but it felt more like that he was reassuring his own booming heart.

The mist stopped swirling then exploded, leaving eight people in its wake.

"Well, I did say I'd get us there in one piece!" Alex huffed. His friends looked queasy. "I haven't felt this way since I started my unlife." Lady Katarina said, struggling to contain her rioting innards.

Maria shook as she planted her feet on the ground, completely covered in Murloc slime.

"Sssoooooo… Best damn rollercoaster ride I've ever had!" Sammy moaned. He and Kit weakly bumped fists. "With a dash of Horror House…" Marcus groaned. "And a plate of greasy carnival food all you can eat." Carol added, giggling weakly.

"Gggrrrooossssss!" Sammy, Marcus, Kit, Maria and Glenda groaned.

When they noticed that Alex and Lady Katarina fell silent, they stood up and inquired.

Alex began to narrate before they could sneak in edgewise.

"_*Alex sparkled on cue* _The Telhadrin Wildlife Preserve is one of the most beautiful sanctuaries in all of Runeterra. It traces its origin to the deceased Lady Amilicia DuTaire, God rest her soul. She was the Countess of Telhadrin and one of the few prestigious aristocrats who actually reached out personally through the social barriers that exist between the low-born and the high-born. She was a passionate advocate for equality even at the cost of the aristocratic court talking behind her back and making her an outcast. She devoted her money and time establishing programs and shelters in hopes that the poor and the less fortunate might have the chance to lift themselves from poverty. She was just like Mother Teresa of our world. _*Maria felt like a sinner in church*_

_*Alex smiled fondly* _She was a gentle soul, that woman. Despite born plain and homely and ultimately uninspired when it comes to the passionate arts, she made up for it with her ethereal loveliness. She was barren and widowed and spent her life building an oasis for the disappearing fauna and flora of this world. Alas, she did not see that dream come true. King Jarvan I, who was the Countess' close personal friend, wanted to see her efforts come to fruit. So where she left unfinished, he finished it for her. Thusly, the land of the Countess was transformed into the sanctuary it once was. _*Carol felt a stab of guilt*_

_*Alex sighed in remembrance* _The Telhadrin is one of Demacia's cultural treasures, you know. It provided both historical and strategic advantage to the Kingdom. 31%-47% of all alchemical ingredients and mojos are harvested from the sanctuary from the time of the Great Shatter to the present. The rare plant-animal creature known as the Vermillion lives here. Uniquely crafted by nature, the Vermillion is a plant species of one, a whole made up of countless parts. They have forty different fruits, all of which can be consumed as food or as an alchemical component. The soil on which they grow on is very rich and very irreplaceable when talking in agriculture and forestry speak. Also in the War of the Nine Lords, the sanctuary served as a neutral zone and a secret trade route and during the mid-war, a city-wide bunker was built underneath the sanctuary's grounds. It is very sturdy. Nature made the natural caverns quite resistant and fast-recovering against what would be going on above. _*Marcus shrunk with each word uttered*_

_*Alex clapped his hands* _The Telhadrin is also a prominent setting in the Demacian chronicle "The Rune and The Sword". While it is mostly based upon fact written many times in multiple viewpoints, it speculates the idea that the Lady Amilicia was more than just a friend to the first Jarvan. In fact, it boldly evidences it by the intimate dinners the king and the countess had together in the secluded woods. 'Twas a sacred time for both. Another evidence it points out are the romantic letters the two loved to send to each other. Each one seemed to be a written love song. _*Sammy's sweat began pouring*_

_*Alex became somber* _You know what? It was supposed to become the meeting place for the Kingsley Summit. It's that once in every ten years meeting for every environmentalist, plant lover and animal lover everywhere. Call it an Earth Con or something. Telhadrin was a source of inspiration for the Ionian refugees during the Ionian War. Left weak and ravaged by the war, they sought out this sanctuary, walked in its field, reveled in its beauty. It's a near-likeness to the natural beauty that graced their faraway homeland. It was said that it was as if the spirit of Ionia itself had come to soothe their wayward thoughts. _*Kit felt the urge to cover his ears*_

_*Alex looked positive* _The Telhadrin also gave Demacia some of its legendary heroes. The place where Quinn found Valor is an untamed part of Telhadrin. The famous naturalist and medic Cedric Fawning found his inspiration to become a healer watching the mass blooming of Fireflowers here. The League Champion and musician Sona Buvelle comes here every so often, practicing her art well away from the eyes of the crowd and the spotlight, just enjoying the time to play for music itself. The famous artist Kenrick Shalmar comes here often to find inspiration. Last but not least, the famed Demacian general Elric Valiss and his merry band of Woodswalkers were orphaned children who called these greens their home. _*Glenda began to hear condemning voices in her head*_

Ahahaha! But what am I talking about? I'm sure it was. ALL. JUST. AN. ACCIDENT." Alex said, laughing too serenely.

Had anyone with a lick of sense been listening, they'll hear the dripping poison from Alex's voice. His friends quivered. "WE'RE SSSOOOOOOOOO SORRY!" they wailed in guilt. Lady Katarina shivered with joy at the sound of their despair.

Six people, of whom they assumed to be the people in charge, approached warily. "So good of you to come by." a man with a waist-length ponytail armed with a spear far taller than himself said, his voice lacked any hint of emotion to it. They recognized him as the League Champion Xin Zhao. Trailing behind him were Garen and Lux _(Who somehow was revived from her Hyper-hyper-hyper stupor) _and they noticed that the Crownguard siblings had an air of excitement around them.

The other three was firstly a woman wearing what could pass of as slacks in our own world and she had a face so freckly she could be mistaken as tanned, secondly a portly old man with a mismatched stomach-length beard and eyes that looked like those of a mouse and thirdly was a teenager of short height and impressive physique but he had the eyes of a cold-hearted killer.

"Come to see the damage you freaks caused?" the teen asked. This elicited gasps from onlookers. Sammy, Marcus and Maria looked at him with disdain. "We thought maybe we could more." Marcus said softly. Alex sighed loudly. "This dwarf right here is the Demacian general slash former forest urchin Elric Valiss. The one I mentioned earlier." he explained. "Who you callin' a dwarf?" the teen snapped, reddening a bit. That got their attention. "Wow. He's got a big bone to pick with us then." Carol said then giggled. Her friends glared at her but Carol carried on.

"Don't worry, citizens of Demacia! Though we have ruined this sanctuary you cherished so much to the point of permanent disrepair, do not waver!" Carol said, her normally high voice was replaced with a very ladylike tone that carried over to the crowd around. "This ought to be good." Glenda whispered over to Sammy and Lady Katarina.

"The forest may have been sundered by our careless and reckless use of magic. Though its roots have been violently plucked and thrown into oblivion, though the toils of the earth our mother was destroyed by the hands of those who do not know restraint, FEAR NOT!" Carol declared. She swept her hand in a grand gesture towards Alex. "JYGGALAG IS GOING TO FIX IT!" she said without any trace of shame.

"WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK AM I?! YOUR PERSONAL CORRECTION MACHINE?!" Alex screeched. He sent phantom hounds forged from red mist after Carol. She maniacally laughed as she zoomed away to safety. "You can really fix this?" Lux asked, her voice curious. Alex flipped his hair haughtily. "Just watch and weep." Alex said. His friends groaned loudly. "Your magical girl transformation? Been there, seen that." Kit said. Alex wagged his fingers annoyingly. "You ain't seen what I can transform into yet." he said proudly.

Once more, red mist stormed around Alex and he began to change. From flesh to wood, from skin to bark, Alex took on the form of a vibrant green. Hair snaking like lush vines and lower body taking the form of a tree trunk. His graceful right hand nestled a large beautiful flower and its waterfall-like tendrils, Alex turned half-man, half-tree and mystical in appearance. Leaves, blooms and fruits borne out of him in joyful splendor then wilted in grace, the eternal cycle of the natural balance ever on display.

Glenda's mouth dropped. "Whoa! You can change into alt avatars?!" she exclaimed. "UHUH!" Alex said smugly. The two promptly squealed and did their famous Al-Glen handshake then chest bumped. "I don't follow." Carol said. The other guys shrugged. "Must be a HoN thing." Marcus said. "Keeper of The Forest. Mother Keeper alt avatar." Alex said as if that would explain everything. "Stand back, people. This is gonna singe your fur." he said.

Alex glided through the ground, his tree trunk lower body carrying in many moving branches and roots like a thousand gnarled limbs. He raised his hands and closed his eyes, humming a single note that dominated the air. The earth began to vibrate in an unnatural manner, not quite like the shaking heralding an earthquake of the sort but something else.

All around them, they watched as the earth burst forth verdant growth. the dark and ravaged landscape was suddenly swallowed whole by a surfacing vision. Where stood a ruined forest rose an entire wilderness, claiming all in its wake. From the green hardwoods to the creeping vines, it rose like a vision from beneath the ground. In a matter of minutes, the desolate landscape disappeared and was replaced by a dense and vibrant green.

Alex laughed haughtily when he was finished. "How about that, puny mortals?" he said in a voice that made anyone's temper tick then promptly laughed haughtily. "Whoaaaaaa..." Glenda and Kit chorused _("Mmmkkkrrraaaaaa..." Maria gurgled)_, wide-eyed and starry. They clapped their hands.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Get us down now, would you?" Marcus said. When the woods literally sprang out of the earth, the people where taken up with it and got stuck amongst the towering branches. Alex smirked which made Marcus make a growling sound in his throat.

Alex snapped his fingers and the trees became animated. Branch, wood, vine and tendril moving, it wrapped around people and lowered them with great care into the ground.

"Yeah, you're welcome." Alex said. The Demacians, in particular, became unable to come in contact with reality. They still couldn't believe what took place just now. "The woods, Jyggalag! You resurrected it!" Carol shrieked in disbelief. "I didn't. I merely recalled what was lost and it came back. The sanctuary is as good as new." Alex said.

* * *

"Whoa." was all Luxanna Crownguard could manage. She looked at the forest around and wondered if there ever was a destruction that happened here. Perhaps all that damage was just mass hallucination. Because judging from the greenery around her, there was absolutely no trace of catastrophe scarring it.

"What sorcery is this?" Elric Valiss said. He rubbed his eyes. "In all my years living here, I've never seen the forest so pure, so alive. It's almost..." he said, then stopped when he couldn't find the right word.

"Holy ground." Xin Zhao supplied, his Ionian heritage definitely appreciating the beauty all around. Glenda sent the Omnitrix into gear and transformed. Gravattack.

She zoomed into the skies, wanting to take even more of the beauty within. When she was high enough into the clouds, she gasped. "You guys gotta see this! It's amazing!" she cried in delight.

Manipulating gravity, she levitated her friends and all the Demacians high into the air. There, what they saw took their breaths away more than they could ever imagine.

The forest was already a wonderful place but the Keeper of The Forest's magic added a little something else, a little bit of weird about it.

Over yonder, cherry, peach, plums, fireflowers, Vermillions and heartvines blossoming together. The land about it was alive with dancing bees and butterflies.

Right next to it, hydrangea and water lilies, everswift and bearbarks, Sunjoy and Eagle's Eye, summer plants. And the sun shone around them brightly and well.

On another part, the green things have turned autumn colors with bright hues from the trees and special autumn plants like hewnhearth, masterroses, syystenes, Cardinal's Ploy and queencrest dominating.

And the last piece of land is a winter scene. Dainty frost and glittering ice and wintry plants of iceleaves, Sister's Mercy, quintanilla, Ionian wineskin and Avarosan false pumpkins decorated the winter wonderland.

The newly-resurrected Telhadrin forest had all four seasons coexisting at the same time.

"In the name of Demacia..." Garen said in awe. "Wow, Smarts, you really outdid yourself." Glenda said. Alex's friends looked at him and saw that Alex himself was awestruck. He looked at them with a horrified expression. "I did this much beauty with just a thought? How much more if I actually put some effort to it? Even more when I went all out? I am such a magnificent creature, I scare myself." he said, automatically sparkling.

Suddenly, Alex plummeted down into the ground, screeching loudly. "Y'all say it was an accident." Glenda said. In unison, they all gave her a thumbs-up.

10 minutes later...

"Okay. Now that we, oh, I mean, now that **I **fixed your mess, we have quite a lot of free time on our hands." Alex said dramatically, sending a superior look over his friends.

"Yeah, yeah. We get it, Your Pig-headedness." Sammy grumbled. Alex grinned. "We gotta check out Demacia's best! There's the Silver Swan, the Heavenly Feast, the Feast on Sticks, the Stuck Pig, the Haughty Lady, the King's Meal, the Last Banquet and the Old Lady Cob's Place!" he squealed excitedly.

"Those are all food establishments, right?" Carol guessed. Alex nodded fervently. "It's too die for!" he exclaimed. "Aye! Those are very good Demacian attractions." Xin Zhao's voice joined them. They all looked at the famed Royal Guard as he joined them. "It seems what you did with the place not only satisfied my people but also made the young ones interested. I've never seen Baron Heatherfield excited over something that isn't a fine-looking damsel." he said, motioning over his shoulders to a young fancy-looking, snooty-looking, self-entitled-looking noble.

The young man winked over Carol's direction. She stuck her tongue in response and made a funny face. "All's well that ends well! We'd love to stay and listen to y'all grovel and worship but we gotta bounce." Alex said. He quickly shoved his friends off the other direction. "Wow. What's the rush, grandma? Don't have time for social calls?" Kit asked.

"I'M HUNGRY!" Alex screeched. They fell silent. The debate ended there.

* * *

" I think we need a proper disguise if we want to enter the city unnoticed." Marcus suggested. They looked at him. "What's wrong with how we look?" Glenda asked. "Kurikakakapakrikrika?" Maria gurgled, tilting her head questioningly. Marcus sighed. "So, a giant humanoid spider, an alien, a red mist freak _("Hey!" Alex said indignantly)_, a ghost and a Murloc all walk into Demacia..." he said, putting on a sarcastic smile. "Oooooohhh..." the others chorused in realization.

"It sounds like deception and trickery! To actually mask our very presence! To walk among the unsuspecting sheep! To don a mask so perfect and saintly that it hides our monstrous visage! Who, among us, could accomplish such teachery?! Who could stab his/her foe right in front of their face, all the while smiling serenely?! Who, I say, who?!" Carol declared. Alex sighed. "I'm waiting for the punchline!" he said in surrender. "Yosh! Alex take it to the core!" Carol said. "There it is!" Alex said.

"It's right up your alley, Alex." Lady Katarina prodded. "Oy!" Alex said. He snapped his fingers and red mist poured all around them. It stormed around them for seconds then dispersed. What it left behind were human forms of the gang. "In all my years, I've never imagined returning to this body." Lady Katarina said, delighted at the living form she thought forever lost to her.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, big deal! Hurry up! My stomache's growling!" Alex complained. He practically dragged his friends along.

* * *

"Wow. I gotta hand it to you, Marcus. We really did pass right under their noses." Carol said as they walked through the gilded streets of Demacia, having bypassed any suspicion from the Demacian gate guards minutes ago.

The Demacian capital was everything the gang could ever expect from a nation that had so much emphasis on light, justice, order and law. Towering spires and proud towers, glimmering banners and flags, statues of saints and heroes and noble people as well as shining religious icons, all adorning the city's major spaces.

The faint, soothing tunes of Demacian hymns and chattering of people filled the air, accompanied by the aromatic smell of pastries and baked goods.

"We came all this way to pig out? Really, Alex?" Sammy complained. "Yeah!" the rest of the gang chorused. Alex gave them a look. "Is this the sound of adventure-seeking I hear?" he asked them. His friends nodded fervently.

"Kuriririkakapa!" Maria gurgled. Alex suddenly burst out laughing. "You do realize you can talk normally now?" he said in between guffaws. Sammy and Marcus burst out laughing as well. Maria reddened as she began to pummel Alex's shoulder.

"Yes, M. In fact, I know a place you know I know would be a really good place to find it." he said in between laughs. He stopped laughing and gave them a sinister look. "The question is are y'all ready to confront the ghosts of Demacia's past?" Alex said dramatically.

"Hell yeah!" they chorused. Alex sighed. "Laugh all you want now. Y'all be weeping after that." he murmured. But Sammy heard him anyway.

"Yep. That totally sounds like Alex trying to ruin all the fun." he said. "Alex, we talked about this." Marcus said. Alex swerved to look at them _("But-!" he started but Carol's finger held up against his lips). _"What did I say about ruining fun, Alex? What did I say?" she said tartly _(Silence)_. "That's a good Alex!" she said cheerfully.

Alex sighed. "It'll be your burial anyway." he said under his breath. "I heard that too." Sammy piped. "So is there a local mystery that we can experience without dying for it?" Glenda asked. Alex was silent for a moment. Then a minute and two. "Hey... Alex..." Carol said in a singsong voice, poking Alex's side.

"Shut it. I'm triangulating the nearest place I wanna eat from and the nearest place you can have your Supernatural convention. So while you go spelunking on your own, I'll gorge myself like a pig." Alex said. "That's some world-changing problem you got there." Kit said. The boys chortled at that.

Alex suddenly brightened. "I know just the perfect place." he said cheerfully.

* * *

"Alex, tell me again why would a spook be in a snooty-looking street like this?" Lady Katarina asked. Alex smiled sinisterly.

"Oh, but it is." Alex said. He stopped and dramatically gestured to the ancient-looking street called Hamilton Road.

"Welcome to Hamilton Road, one of the oldest roads in all of Demacian history. It was honored to witness some of the bloodiest, darkest and nation-changing events in Demacia but among its historical beauty, it hides a terrible secret of its own." Alex said. His friends perked up at his words. Demacians who were nearby also hang on his every word.

"The Hamilton Road is named after the deceased Hamilton family, one of the seven Founding Families of Demacia itself. Its line has been ended at the death of Lord Dusach seven years ago. He died at the Battle of Pena'am Straits against the rogue Bilgewatian pirate hoards. He no longer had any familial relations so a sad end was drawn to the Hamilton line.

Now, rumors speak that Lord Dusach had a lover: a commoner maid who was very much smitten with him. It is said that the maid was more than she appeared to be, that she was a necromancer of high caliber. In a dark and stormy night, she was said to have retrieved Lord Dusach's remains from the family mausoleum and brought it back to his estate. There, she attempted to bring back her fallen lover.

It is said that in her heavy grief, she mistook an ancestor's corpse as her lover's. What she brought back was not Lord Dusach but someone else, that being someone far sinister.

It was Lord Avery, more famous as the Greenfen Lich." Alex said. Nearby Demacians took a shuddering breath. "Why does that sound like something very bad?" Kit asked. "It is." Alex replied.

"Lord Avery, also the Greenfen Lich, was a powerful magus. While the Hamilton family was known as a line of warriors and agents, little repute has ever come to Hamiltons gifted with the magical arts. That is, until Lord Avery.

During the Demacian civil war known as the War of the Nine Lords, Lord Avery stood by the Crown and served as Lord-Commander of the Magus Legion. It is said that several political entities were not too happy with the King's favor shown to Lord Avery and the Hamiltons so they concocted an ill-fated assault. This attack was to be led by Lord Avery. They bent the King's ear and made him agree to their plot. If Lord Avery was to return defeated, as he would most assured will be, then the King might favor another among the political circle and the Hamiltons will lose face.

Their plan, however, backfired spectacularly. As Lord Avery and his magi warriors approached Greenfen, they unfortunately uncovered a hidden hand in the war. A predominantly-female Noxian Necromancer's Cult called the Pale Court had come all the way to Demacia to generously help fan the flames of war. While the many Necromantic Cults of Noxus used their arts to further their social and political influence, the Pale Court was known to be one of the very few who didn't curry someone's favor.

Fanatical believers in the dark fate that was destined to befall upon all who dare defy their goddess and her Will, they believed that it was Noxus' divine right to rule over all of Runeterra through the acceptance of trials and tribulation brought about by sin, action and fate and the inner might that comes with overcoming these tests. And they were famous for the undead they created from their own cult's members. Their undead, christened the Banshees, are bound to the dark entity called Our Lady or more famous as the Dark Mother which is worshipped by the cult. This sinister rite ensured that the dark goddess, the cult and the Banshees would forever be linked with each other. No one could defy that unbreakable fate one way or another, directly or indirectly.

The Banshees command terrifying repute for as their foe near one of them, the Banshee has the power to turn their victim's surroundings into a living nightmare. And while the living nightmare exists, their victim is subjected to all manners of torment. With that in mind, you could very much imagine that Lord Avery and his warriors fought a one-sided battle against the Pale Court.

The one good thing that came out of the battle was that Lord Avery was able to telepathically relay his memories to the War Council and inform them of the Noxian intervention. It is said that Lord Avery was subjected to a "special fate". The Pale Court, apparently not satisfied with decimating his army, cast a wicked curse on Lord Avery.

They turned him into a lich tormented with thoughts of betrayal and abandonment. They turned his last thoughts into a dark and twisted existence. They made him seek out those who he thought had betrayed him and exact terrible vengeance. It is said that it took a battalion to suppress the lich. Not knowing how to permanently end his miserable existence, they suppressed the dark magic binding him, rendering the lich into an endless, dreamless slumber.

Lord Avery's legacy was tainted because of his necromantic transcendence and his feats and honors were buried into legends. the Greenfen Lich became just another urban legend.

But that fateful night that Lord Dusach's lover spirited away Lord Avery's remains, she recharged the dormant necromancy buried in him and the lich rose from the abyss to walk the land again. Seeing the monstrosity she mistook as her lover, the woman cast another powerful spell at the cost of her life. She and the lich were imprisoned together in the Hamilton manor, doomed forever to play a terrifying game of hide and seek." Alex said.

"WHOAAA..." his friends chorused. They sat around him like attentive children listening to a really interesting fairytale.

"Of course, that's just one version of the story. The second one does not pity the foolish maid. Once she came out of her clouding misery, she saw the monster she had released. The lich fell upon her in savage lust and bred her _("Gggrrrooosssssssss!" his friends chorused)_.

To this day, he keeps her alive by unnatural means, forcing her carry his dark and twisted children. Legends speak that the hideous creatures that are seen sometimes lurking around the estate are the result of their terrible copulation. In rainy or stormy nights, Demacians have claimed hearing the sound of a woman screaming for help and begging for mercy. They claim that the sound was coming from within the manor itself. But none have the courage to dare try find out." Alex said.

He arched an eyebrow in challenge. "Do you have what it takes to really find out what they didn't?" he asked.

"HELL YEAH!"


	12. Chapter 12- The Greenfen Lich Part 1

**Chapter 12**

**The Greenfen Lich Part 1**

* * *

**Hamilton Road**

**Demacia**

**Valoran**

**Runeterra**

**12:47 p.m.**

* * *

_As you might have noticed in the previous entry, this continuation features non-canonical lore. Some of the information therein is attributed to the author's rampant imagination. That or either something I ate a while ago or what I smoked earlier._

* * *

Old Lady Cob's Place

Old Lady Cob's Place is a charming little two-story home that's been in the Cob family for generations. Its history can be traced back to the nearing end of the Great Shatter.

Battered body and spirit, Old Lady Cob was one of the refugees who sought the safety of the Demacian capital when Runeterra was at a time of warring states. Having saved only her small children, she was at a loss on how to survive at an unkind time.

As Fate would have it, her family came upon a strange stroke of good luck. Old Lady Cob saved a child from being run over by a carriage dragged by frenzied horses. The accident cost Old Lady Cob her legs, crushed and mangled under the horses' hooves and the carriage's wheels.

But the child she saved happened to be the Young Master of the House Dawnstar, a prominent noble house that primarily dealt with naval trade and shipsmithery. The Dawnstars were more than grateful for Old Lady Cob's heroic sacrifice. They took care of her family, made sure her children had the best education and gave them more than they needed. A brilliant light dawned upon Old Lady Cob's life.

While her children were away to school for half of the year, Old Lady Cob, despite her disability, could not be stopped. She engaged herself in charitable works such as building the Dawnstar Orphanage, right across the street of her home, which until the present time remains in its original location.

Old Lady Cob turned the first floor of their home into a cozy place where the orphans would have their meals and hang around for the rest of the day. She became famous for her food, particularly if it involved the use of corn and mushroom, and her baked goods and pastries. She continued to cook until she reached the generous age but her work-worn face is said to make anyone who beheld it smile.

Old Lady Cob passed away at the age of 102. During and before her last breath, she was surrounded by her children and grandchildren. Even Dawnstar's Young Master, his parents and his children were there in final thanks for the old woman who saved his life. Old Lady Cob's children continued her legacy up to this day and the many recipes their mother left behind continue fill their patrons' bellies with warmth and satisfaction.

* * *

"If this place is so near the haun- _(Alex gave her a sharp glare) _that-we-do-not-speak-but-we-do-seek, how the hell did it survive all this time?" Carol asked.

Alex had just finished ordering food for the gang. As is the case with Alex ordering, he probably ordered eight of everything. If the sequence of the scene would follow its normal routine, Alex, Kit and Maria would end up devouring what would remain.

"Actually that's because Hamilton road cuts across a canal then a cemetery then a mini-ghost town." Alex explained. Carol raised an eyebrow. "Ghost town?" she echoed.

"Of course. You'd want to stay with a place like that across the street or right next door? DUH." Alex said. "So, basically, we're walking to an abandoned ghost town in the middle of the day?" Carol asked.

A team of waiters and hextech servitors came from the kitchen door, struggling under the burden of several overstuffed trays. "Food time." Sammy said cheerfully, rubbing his palms together.

The table squeaked in protest of the immense weight as the trays were placed into them. Both human and mechanical waiters seemed to have the breath knocked off them after the feat. The tip Alex gave each of them, however, gave them a miraculous recovery _("We should write to the Vatican!" Maria squeaked)_.

They thanked him profusely, almost groveling in gratitude. Alex shooed them away with an elegant wave. "Really. You'd think they never laid eyes on that kind of money before." he said. "I don't know. A hundred gold pieces tip for each of them? I'm starting to think that's a first." Maria said.

As the Popess of the group, Maria launched into saying grace before any of her hungry friends could stop her. She finished her rhyming prayer and brilliantly smiled to her friends. "DIG IN." she declared.

Dig in was an understatement. Her friends fell upon the food like ravenous wolves. They tore every piece of food with savage gusto. In a matter of minutes, all that was left were a pile of empty dishes. "I feel stuffed." Sammy groaned. "At least we all know how Maria feels every waking moment." he added.

Maria huffed. "Is that a joke about my weight, Umbranox? It's as brainless as you are." she said airily. Being the fat- I mean, the fullest one in the gang, Maria's heard a lot of insults and jokes most fat people endure every day. But Maria being Maria, it would take a lot more than that to pierce her wall. "Sorry." Sammy chorused like a pouty child. "Don't be. I may have accidentally told Alex about the library thing that you do. This makes us even." she said, hiding her grin.

Sammy's mouth dropped. "You didn't." he said in disbelief. His gaze wandered over to Alex who just smiled back. "I did." Maria said. Sammy looked dark. "Mark my words, nun. You'll get yours one day." he muttered. Maria stuck her tongue out at him.

Alex clapped his hands, bringing the little fight to an end. "Attention, children. Now that you're all full, I suggest you work up an exercise to lose all that weight you're about to gain. Terror is the best solution for weight loss." he said cheerfully. He stood up and like a graceful ship at full speed, sailed off from the restaurant. "Always making a grand exit." Marcus said, shaking his head.

* * *

**Hamilton Road**

**Demacia**

**Valoran **

**Runeterra**

**2:30 p.m.**

* * *

"You're kidding me, right?" Sammy and Marcus echoed as the two looked up at a massive rundown structure. It looked like it was surely once a regal and proud estate but years and years of decay and neglect had turned it into a sinister-looking lair.

"On second thought, I changed my mind! Let's go somewhere else instead!" Maria said. She turned around hastily and made a beeline away. "OMG! I forgot I have something to do! Very important!" Carol chirped and made a run for it as well.

"HOLD ITTTTTT!" Alex said. He snapped his fingers and his retreating friends were suddenly pulled by unnatural gravity towards him. He clapped his hands in excitement. "Since we're so OP even by this world's standards, hell, even Elsa right there can kick every Champion combined and multiplied by ten, so this is the part where I'll be nerfing you all." he said.

"EEEHHHHHHHHH?!" his friends protested. "What if we die in there? Or worse!" Kit cried. "Don't worry! I'll be watching you very closely." Alex assured them. His friends sighed. "So how are you going to nerf us again?" Carol asked. A sinister smile crossed Alex's face. His friends shrank back. "I know where this is going..." Sammy groaned.

"We'll be playing Eon Watcher's Who's The Killer mode! Kkkyyyaaahhhhhh~!" Alex squealed excitedly, flapping his hands in frenzied strokes.

"Oh, no, no, no, nnnoooooooooooooooooo..." Sammy, Marcus, Kit and Glenda groaned in dismay. Carol and Maria looked starstruck. "HELL YEAH!" the two cheered. "I don't follow." Lady Katarina said.

* * *

"It goes like this. Eon Watchers is a game from our world. Who's The Killer? is an Eon Watchers game mode that follows fifteen Protagonists and ten Murderers in a killing game of hide and seek in a haunted mansion." Carol explained.

Lady Katarina looked positively excited. "I like the sound of that game!" she said, licking her lips in anticipation. "You can say that now but you'll be crying by the end of it. The emotional and mental trauma of that game. AND THE LAUGH. I CAN STILL HEAR IT IN MY HEAD!" Maria squealed. She and Carol shrieked like two banshees.

"You ready?" Alex asked. Some of his friends nodded no, some nodded yes, others looked positively uncertain.

"Will you at least give us the right to choose who we're gonna be?" Marcus asked after raising his hand as if he was in a classroom. "Fair enough." Alex replied. As much as he anticipated, his friends erupted into chaos almost immediately. "But Murderers are out of the roster." he added after some time.

"WWWHHHAAATTTTTT?!" his friends, except Lady Katarina, chorused in protest. "What are we supposed to do in there? Die?" Kit said indignantly. Alex smiled serenely. "What's the main point of Who's The Killer?" he asked. His friends looked reluctant. They sighed after some time. "Survive..." they said in an automatic voice.

* * *

"Care to explain things to someone who doesn't know an inkling of what you're saying?" Lady Katarina asked. She watched as Marcus, Sammy, Kit, Maria, Carol and Glenda panic around. They had this expression on their faces like what they're about to do was a matter of life and death.

Alex grabbed Lady Katarina and twirled her around. "Listen well, L.K., for you are about to hear is something sacred _("Huh?!" Lady Katarina said in disbelief)_. Who's The Killer? is a game where ten people are trapped inside a haunted manor with a dark and bloody secret. They said the game is only for ten people but it's a lie. There's an 11th player and that is the Murderer.

As ten unlikely Protagonists, unaware of each other, wander the halls of the abandoned abode completely ignorant of the hungering danger that stealthily hides in every hidden nook and cranny.

The Murderer picks them off one by one and their only hope is to band together and pray that the Murderer isn't among them, wearing the skin of his/her recent kill." Alex explained. He sparkled luminously as he recounted the game's actual promotional content.

"Ooohhhhhh... That sounds interesting!" Lady Katarina said. She clapped her hands in anticipation and rubbed them excitedly.

"It's also a smash hit game where people literally wait their asses off just enter its server! Who's The Killer? has become a game of survival of the fittest. Because not only will you have to be forced into life-scarring situations but you must also anticipate the dark nature of the human psyche.

Will you come across another Protagonist, not knowing if they're the Murderer or not, and do them in just to be safe than sorry?

Will you join forces with them and come across another Protagonist who promptly runs the hell away, casting doubt on your partner's identity?

Will you go together and suddenly another Protagonist rushes in, attacking one of you like crazy, and both of you unite to take him/her down, only to find that who you assisted turned out to be the Murderer?

Or you yourself just happened to be the Murderer they all fear?" Alex said.

"Wow. That game sounds pretty crazy." Lady Katarina said. "It is. It just proves that people would go psycho if there was a fool-proof way they wouldn't be discovered because it's always fun if you're the predator and not the prey." Marcus muttered. The ghost looked at him in surprise. "Yep. The general gaming community made their unanimous vote that being the Murderer is much more exciting than the Protagonist." he said.

* * *

"Sssoooooo... Have you picked your poison now?" Alex asked, smiling sweetly. His friends grinned. They were ready.

"I'm picking Reese." Marcus said.

**_Reese has a personal battle with whatever lurked in Crowheart Mansion. This was the case his father, also a police officer, could not solve before his untimely death within the same halls. Brought to Crowheart Mansion to investigate the most recent murder addition to the Crowheart Murders case, Reese has a dedication of a good police officer and the accuracy and skills of a deadly gunslinger._**

**_BONUS: Reese's guns don't need ammo or reload time, ammo bonuses still apply. He's brought enough bullets to outlast a World War._**

**_BONUS: Reese is most likely to find advanced gun types earlier than any other player in the game. _**

**_BONUS: Reese has special keys for Crowheart Mansion, allowing him to open any door or container. _**

**_BONUS: Reese can connect other Protagonists he comes across into a radio network for a number of purposes. _**

**_BONUS: Reese moves faster when moving towards other Protagonists._**

"I'm picking Momo." Carol said.

**_While trying to settle the score between her and old airborne foes, an accident had brought little Momo to Crowheart Mansion and it didn't take long for the girl to know that there was something awfully wrong about the place. And while a deadly secret lurks in every corner, this mature little girl will surely survive with some help from her feathery rivals. After all, this kid is way smarter and sensible for her young age. _**

**_BONUS: Momo's tricycle makes her incredibly fast on flat terrain. _**

**_BONUS: Momo cannot die. If her Health drops to zero, her Unkindness of Ravens will rescue her and send her back to her most recent or safest save-point. _**

**_BONUS: Momo's Unkindness of Ravens can help Momo in a number of ways. _**

**_BONUS: Momo's Unkindness of Ravens can pick Momo up or any child Protagonists, allowing them flight. _**

**_BONUS: Other child Protagonists can hitch a ride on Momo's tricycle._**

"I'm picking Ren." Kit said.

**_Ren is a special baby with a hyperactive imagination. He has exhibited special capabilities since birth that quickly set him apart from his fellow infants. He is a special guest in Martin Kwan's show in Crowheart Mansion, covering both the place's suspicious past and people like Ren. Since the show has gone into a bloody turn of events, this kid's special abilities and trusty imaginary friend might help him live through it. _**

**_BONUS: Ren's telekinesis allows him to move objects or use them as projectiles. _**

**_BONUS: Ren floats in the air unlike other Protagonists, allowing him to reach unreachable places or position himself strategically in a way other Protagonists can't. _**

**_BONUS: Ren can levitate other child Protagonists, allowing them flight. _**

**_BONUS: Ren's imaginary friend Winnie appears whenever he's in danger. Winnie can attack but not kill anyone who would dare harm Ren. Winnie has a number of forms, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. _**

**_BONUS: Ren cannot die. If his Health drops to zero, Winnie snatches him and sends him back to his most recent or safest save-point._**

"I'm picking Mickey." Sammy said.

**_Mickey is one of the survivors of the original massacre at Crowheart Mansion. They were but children when they came there and the tragic killings happened. It had cost Mickey's eyes and Minnie's life but Death hasn't parted the twins, it only served to make their bond stronger than ever. Where one goes, so does the other and neither of the two are alone. Now the twins are back where it all started and they have a score to settle._**

**_BONUS: Two players must play Mickey and Minnie. One player for Mickey and another for Minnie. Mickey excels in hiding and making diversion while Minnie excels in phantasms more than any other Protagonist or non-player ghost in the game._**

**_BONUS: Mickey and Minnie cannot damage each other. Mickey and Minnie know all the secret rooms and passages and all the traps in Crowheart Mansion like Murderers do._**

**_BONUS: Mickey can locate Protagonists and Murderers coming his way via specterlocation. Minnie can overcharge this to reveal large sections of the house but at the cost of weakened vision afterwards. Minnie is capable of using any ghost abilities as well as special ghost abilities no other player in the game can access. Mickey can overcharge this to allow Minnie to fully manifest but at the cost of being weakened afterwards. _**

**_BONUS: Mickey is not affected by vision-impairing effects and his vision is unique compared to other Protagonists, able to see both in front of him and behind him, even over obstacles._**

**_BONUS: Minnie can pass through walls and obstacles and she is semi-visible to Protagonists and Murderers unlike normal ghosts. Minnie can detect Murderers in their disguises and she can use special attacks and abilities whilst in their presence._**

"I'm picking Antoinette." Maria said.

**_Antoinette is America's most famous psychic and she would've been the star of Martin Kwan's special had she not sensed the terrible evil that lives inside Crowheart Mansion. She could see the ghosts of past victims crying out for justice and the unholy spirits that rule the place. Now she must rely on her special abilities lest she become one of the tortured souls therein. _**

**_BONUS: Antoinette periodically gains items and ingredients needed to perform a Dark Ritual out of thin air._**

**_BONUS: Antoinette's Dark Rituals currently active are not revealed to other Protagonists or Murderers._**

**_BONUS: Antoinette has special Dark Rituals that other players in the game cannot use._**

**_BONUS: Antoinette can see ghosts and can compel non-player ghosts with Black Candle and amplify player ghosts with Black Mojo._**

**_BONUS: Antoinette is most likely to find items classified as Weird than any other player in the game. Weird items are more durable and useful when used by Antoinette._**

"I'm picking Sylvette." Glenda said.

**_Sylvette might look like your innocent, sweet and charming little girl but after witnessing her parents' and grandparents' brutal deaths with her very eyes in Crowheart Mansion when she was a child, it permanently scarred her and left her with burning vengeance. When she heard that the Crowheart Mansion Murders case was reopened and the Mansion was to host Martin Kwan's special, she knew she had the chance to find the truth and avenge her family._**

**_BONUS: Sylvette's damage against Murderers is doubled._**

**_BONUS: Sylvette has access to special weapons that are inaccessible to other players in the game._**

**_BONUS: If Sylvette successfully unmasks the Murderer, she will reveal the Murderer's identity to all other Protagonists. Sylvette also gains Torture skills upon unmasking._**

**_BONUS: Once Sylvette discovers a secret room or passage or trap, she alerts other Protagonists about it, regardless of distance._**

**_BONUS: Sylvette's damage is further amplified when ambushing the Murderer._**

* * *

"Done!" Alex said cheerfully. He snapped his fingers and his friends were swallowed by red mist. It stormed around them for a moment then dispersed into nothingness. What it left behind were seven different people.

Marcus became a twenty-seven-year-old rugged man with more scars than a veteran soldier and a face that was more fitting for a criminal than an officer of the law and his police uniform totally clashed with his facial assumptions. Reese St. Lawliet.

Carol became a cute three-year-old girl in a sunflower-print dress, pigtails tied with daisy-designed hairbands and sat comfortably on a flower-print kids' tricycle with a back seat and she had many overgrown ravens with her. Momo Yamamoto.

Kit became a two-year-old boy stuffed cutely in a raccoon-styled baby costume, looking normal but floating unassisted off the ground and surrounded by what looked like ripples in the air and a phasing image of a cat. Ren Kisaki.

Sammy became a frail-looking nineteen-year-old blond boy whose eyelids seem permanently shut but at the same time gave off a feeling that he could see in another otherworldly way _(Lady Katarina became another ghost, a blond of the same age with waist-length hair, eyes the color of the forest, and she looked semi-transparent and her etherealness made her glow in the dark)_. Mickey and Minnie Anderson.

Maria became a gaunt and pale forty-three woman who wouldn't look out of place in a haunted house and she was swathed in dark shawls and her eyes darted uneasily left to right with a pace that could possibly dislodge her eyeballs. Antoinette Lorrienne.

Glenda became a seventeen-year-old blond girl in a pristine white sun dress and her hair tied into swirling pigtails and she looked so innocent and sweet but a closer look would reveal a hard and purposeful intent in her eyes. Sylvette McMiller.

"OKAY! YOU'RE ALL SET!" Alex yelled cheerfully. His friends looked at their new forms with doubt. "Somehow against a lich, I don't think this is enough." Maria said. Even her voice had changed to that of the character's. "Great. I sound like an old woman." she added.

"Hey, mister, you look kinda hot!" Carol said to Marcus. "I suggest you don't say things like that with that body _(Carol grinned sheepishly)_." Marcus said. "You guys gotta check this out. I can't see a thing but I can sense everything around me. It's like Earthbending!" Sammy yelled excitedly. He then tripped over something and fell like a sack of potatoes.

Glenda reached under her skirt and retrieved an overlarge crossbow, ornately designed with gold and silver lining. On its crest was a design of a dove and a raven intertwining each other and the arrows of the weapon was shaped with the head of a four-horned demon. "MWAHAHAHA! IRA IS MINE! MINE! THE DEADLIEST WEAPON IN ALL MURDERER-MURDERING HISTORY! MWAHAHAHA!" she boomed maniacally.

Maria found several weird items in her person that could easily be associated with the occult and the supernatural. Totems, edifices, charms, dried plants and fresh ones, symbols and ancient texts written unto items, tarot cards, runes and all sorts of occult and religious objects where an abundant lot about her. "Prepare yourselves, you motherchuckers. I'm gonna send you all to hell with Poltergeist and Zombie." Maria murmured under her breath then promptly laughed sinisterly.

"Wow. This brings back a lot of memories." Carol commented as she hopped on the kiddie tricycle. Her unkindness of ravens hovered around her, eyes darting left and right for any signs of danger. Carol marveled at the speed of her vehicle and giggled fondly.

"Wow. Another ghost. Didn't see that one coming" Lady Katarina said sarcastically. Though in this ghost form of hers, L.K. was far sensitive to the other side than normal. It was as if she had x-ray vision. In a distance around her, she could sense souls and know their feeling, their thinking and their nature. Sammy, on the other hand, had a few difficulties with his new form. "This is gonna take a while." he complained, bumping into Marcus who gave him an amused look.

"Don't tell me I have to assist you." L.K. said. Sammy grunted. "Shaddup. I can handle this on my own." he insisted despite his blushing.

"Wow. This much firepower. Hahaha. I think I'm gonna liveee~!" Marcus said in a sing-song voice, hugging to his chest the array of guns his character have ever-present with him. "You look hot." L.K. admitted after a minute of inspection. "I know, right?!" Carol piped. Marcus gave both of them a look. "Will you freaking stop that?" he demanded.

"I second it." Maria added. "I third it." Glenda added as well. The girls giggled when they saw how uncomfortable Marcus was.

Kit floated over to them and laughed. "I have no idea what Kit is trying to say." Glenda said after a while of hearing Kit's gurgling. Kit looked thunderstruck.

"All that baby talk and no one understands you, poor Kitty-kitty-poo~!" Carol said, beckoning to Kit. Kit floated to Carol's arms before he promptly burst into tears. "First turning into a giant rotting zombie, now a telekinetic baby, what's next? You make poor choices, Kitty!" Carol moaned with him. "Tough luck, kid." Marcus said. He went back to mentally patting himself on the back.

"Now that you suckers are ready, are y'all prepared to die?" Alex asked. Sammy, Marcus, Kit and Glenda feverishly nodded no but L.K., Carol and Maria nodded yes.

"Well then, best of luck to y'all~!" he said and snapped his fingers. Everything went dark from there.


	13. Chapter 13- The Greenfen Lich Part 2

**Chapter 13**

**The Greenfen Lich Part 2**

* * *

Demacia

House Vayne

* * *

"Carlton, what on earth is going on today? It's far too loud outside than normal." Shauna Vayne demanded as soon as she spotted her butler who busy gossiping with several maids.

An effeminate-looking man with a touch of sophistication and absolute loyalty, Carlton raised his head to give a respectful bow to his mistress. Vayne angrily stomped down the winding stairs, her eyes on fire.

"Is there something wrong, mistress?" he asked innocently. Vayne sent a glare to his direction. "That abominable sound! Even the servants are contributing to the tumult! What is going on outside? Is there some sort of special happening to warrant this much noise?" she demanded, flinging her arms grandly. Carlton smiled in a conspiratory way.

"There's great news, mistress!" he said. Vayne snorted in derision. "Well, tell them that I'm busy. Unlike that lot, I'm busy developing new anti-undead toxins." she snapped. Carlton raised an eyebrow. "Toxins, mistress?" he repeated. Vayne smiled excitedly at him. "Indeed. A new mixture of quicksilver, Mabelungs flower and charred silkskin. It's promising. If I succeed, this new toxin can't only weaken undead considerably but also pass on the same effect to other undead it comes to contact with. Finally, a weapon that could tip the scales against the Shadow Isles!" Vayne said.

"Very fine work, milady!" Carlton said. He promptly but earnestly gave Vayne a round of applause. "But, mistress, you might want to hear that Telhadrin has been restored to its former beauty." Carlton piped before Vayne could start up the stairs again. She stopped and looked back. "Oh? Interesting. By who?" she asked.

"Why, by the same people who destroyed it. Specifically, it was the same boy who turned the Institute upside down. Only he could show such tremendous power to revive a ravaged sanctuary." Carlton replied. Vayne was silent but the glint of her eyes looked different now.

Shauna Vayne wasn't on duty when the Institute was reported to be bested by a single person. A person, all her sources spoke, who claimed to be a god. Shaune laughed derisively when she heard about it.

"Interesting. He restored Telhadrin, eh? Tremendous display of magic, that is." Vayne conceded. "Not only that, mistress, but he enhanced the forest. The news is spreading like wildfire. The boy not only fixed the sanctuary but also bonded all four seasons into peaceful cohabitation within the forest itself." Carlton shared.

Carlton had seen his mistress rarely show her surprise or any emotion for that matter. But this one was an exception. Vayne's mouth gaped openly. "Are you serious?" she asked. Carlton managed to hide his amusement at seeing his mistress like this. He nodded affirmatively.

"Not only that. Apparently, this 'god' and his friends were spotted dining at Old Lady Cob's Place and then made a beeline towards the Hamilton Manor." Carlton said. He looked up to find that Vayne had gone.

* * *

"Did they really go inside?" Luxanna Crownguard asked her big brother for the nth time. Garen sighed. "So the eavesdroppers say. The boy did a little magic to his friends. Turned them into entirely someone else and sent them inside." he replied. "And what happened with the boy?" a new voice joined them.

A growing crowd had gathered near the scene, remaining a distance away both because of the police perimeter and the supernatural stories that haunted the estate. Only the Champions and authorities had proceeded beyond the perimeter and stood right in front of the estate's gates.

The voice belonged to none other than the crown prince of Demacia, Jarvan IV. "Your Highness! We didn't expect you to show up." Garen said. He and Lux bowed deeply. The prince held out his hand, signing them to return as they were.

"The boy left in a hurry. Xin Zhao said he was spotted at The Last Supper." Garen said. Jarvan IV grinned. "Should've known." he said. "What do we do now?" Garen asked. The prince looked thoughtfully at the manor and looked at his childhood friend and protector. "Who're the first responders?" he asked. The captain looked surprised.

"A few constabularies. It wasn't really a crime or a state of emergency so there was no need to mobilize the police sectors so much." Lux said in response for her brother. "The Seneschal went back to the palace to personally inform the king of the turn of events." Garen supplied. Jarvan IV grinned wider. "Shall we go in as well?" he dared them.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Garen laughed, his voice booming. "That is so funny, Your Highness!" he commented after some time. He looked up and saw the prince and his sister missing and the gates flung open. "Oh, you're serious..." he said. He doubted it was a good idea.

* * *

So the groups were like this…

TEAM 1: Carol (Momo) and Kit (Ren) and Maria (Antoinette)

LANDING AREA: Underground Levels

TEAM 2: Sammy (Mickey), Lady Katarina (Minnie), Marcus (Reese) and Glenda (Sylvette)

LANDING AREA: Tower Levels

* * *

"Sssoooooo… Why the hell are all the squishies on the same team?!" Maria said indignantly.

It was already eerie in the place where the three came to. Silent and desecrated halls loomed around them, giving a graveyard feeling to their surroundings. Everything looked foreign and alien to them. From what looked like to be runes to them that snaked and adorned every curve of stone and lime in vine-like embrace to what looked like to be markings in the tomb-like edifices that rose and fell among neat columns and rows of rotten pews.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say we're in some sort of underground place of worship." Maria ventured. Her words were met with silence. "Will you stop clinging to me?" she complained. Carol's tricycle moved alongside her but Carol's hold on her skirt was iron-fisted. Kit had hidden himself under Maria's shawls.

Kit's imaginary pet Winnie, in Angel form, flew above them, casting a brilliant light over the darkness around them. _Players are known to max this skill first on Ren because it's not only an infinite light source but it also drives away Malevolent Spirits. _"Really. Going on a thing like this when you're scaredy cats." Maria muttered under her breath. "Scooby and Shaggy are cowards too but they get into a lot of frightening adventures too." Carol said.

Maria looked down on her. "By all means, go find Scooby and Shaggy and you can chicken hug with them." she said sweetly. Kit and Carol pouted but didn't relinquish their hold on her.

Warily, three navigated the murky dark. "Alex didn't say anything about this. We should've asked." Maria said after a while. Carol grinned. "You act tough and smart but you're actually scared, aren't you? You talk when you're uncomfortable." She deduced with great pride.

Maria blushed a little. She stopped and inspected her person. She smiled suddenly. "Okay. I think I have enough stuff for a Dark Ritual. I say we do Poltergeist." she said tartly. Carol and Kit looked at her. "Do you want to make our lives even more miserable? Bad enough we don't know where we're going. You really wanna have ghosts appearing out of nowhere on top of our asses?" Carol said angrily.

"Whoa. I didn't think that far ahead." Maria said, nervously laughing. The three of them kept going in the vast halls. Kit said something in baby talk. "Kit thinks we're in the underground levels. He doesn't know how deep but he thinks we may need to go up several flights before we stumble on the others." Carol said. Maria raised an eyebrow at them. "You understand Kit?" she asked. Carol nodded. "Takes a kid to understand a kid." she said simply.

Suddenly, there was a movement behind them. The three's conversation died there.

"Did you guys sense that?" Maria asked. "Uh… NO." Carol said hastily. "Good. Let's keep going." she said. The three broke into a slow run.

* * *

"Whoaaaaaa…" Glenda said as the four of them navigated through the enormous maze that was the tower levels. Every wall had an important bit of history to tell. Ruined they may be, rotten portraits and ornate-looking metalwork decorated them like ghastly mementos from the past.

The historian in Marcus was quietly admiring the ruins, taking in every bit of detail with gusto. "How you holding up, Sammy?" he asked absent-mindedly. Sammy grunted in response. "Walking in complete darkness is scary." he followed up.

Though he couldn't actually see as Mickey, Sammy had this weird vision of what everything looked around him. It had been a bother outside the mansion as he was used to his eyes but inside the building was a different story. Sammy saw everything in a see-through black-and-white state. Instead of just his sense of sight telling him what's around him, what's around Sammy told him what's around him. His only problem was navigating.

"Don't open that door." Sammy warned as Glenda reached to open a handle. "There's something inside. Crouched in a corner, crying." he added. Glenda snorted. "Trying to scare us?" she asked. Sammy shook his head negatively.

Without warning, Glenda flung open the door and poised Ira, ready to fire. Marcus appeared next to her, crouched with a loaded gun on both hands. There was nothing there. "Funny, Sam." Glenda said, a bit disappointed but also a bit relieved. "No. There's something there." L.K. said.

The two swerved to look at the ghost. She was looking intently at a corner just like Sammy said. "It's hard to make out. But it looks like a child crying." she said. Marcus and Glenda recoiled.

"Remember when Kris talked us into spending a vacation at her townhouse? And we all went like idiots?" Glenda said, reminisced a terrible memory. "You mean the one in the Philippines?" Marcus said, remembering as well. "And Kris dragged us to the Laperal White House? And we saw a lot of strange things there?" Glenda continued. "Like the shadows that didn't go away when we aimed the flashlight at it?" Marcus said.

The two seemed to undergo some sort of traumatic recollection. They spoke like played cassettes on a recorder. "Okayyyyyy…" L.K. said. She pulled the two away out of the door and promptly closed it. "What happened?" Glenda asked, confused. L.K. gave her a cryptic look.

"It was looking at us." L.K. said. The two gulped. "Guys, there's movement all around us." Sammy said, his voice deathly calm. TACK…

The sound came. TACK… TACK… TACK… The sound came, closer with each ringing echo.

"What the hell was that?" Marcus jumped. He scooted closer to Glenda and L.K. "Footsteps?" L.K. surmised. The sound was all around them. Above them, in front of them, behind them. It came from both the ceiling and the floor.

"Do we run or do we…" Marcus asked tentatively. He was resisting the terrible urge to flee and scream like a banshee. "Hey, I can't run if I don't know where I'm going." Sammy said. "Take my hand." Glenda said. She held out a hand for Sammy to grab on while she tried to look to where the sound was coming from. "Sammy! Take my hand! We're running!" Glenda said again.

"I AM HOLDING YOUR HAND." Sammy said. "What?" Glenda said in disbelief.

She, Marcus and L.K. looked at Sammy. The gloom behind him was more pronounced than usual. It was like looking into murky waters. From that same darkness, a pale white hand held Sammy's in tight grip. Even with the darkness looming around them, they could see the hand clearly.

A sound came from Marcus' throat. It was the sound of someone who was near bolting. Quick as a cat, Glenda grabbed Sammy's other hand and dragged him away. L.K. was suddenly bathed in translucent light. She directed the energy into a wall-like field and sent it careening forward.

The wall passed through her friends but it sent whatever was holding Sammy hurtling back into the dark. They heard the sound of frustrated screeching and clawing. The spectral wall continued to move at a pace that steadily put distance between them. "RUNNN!" L.K. screamed. She didn't have to tell them twice.

* * *

"This place feels almost like unholy ground." Lux observed as she, her brother and the crown prince made their way through the darkened halls. Several orbs of bright light surrounded the group, casting light over the uncertain terrain.

"It should be. I've heard a lot of things about this place since I was a kid." Jarvan said. He fought his way through the maze of webs and rubble. "You mean this place being one of the famous haunted places in Demacia?" Lux asked. Jarvan grunted in answer.

"Is there credence to those tales then?" Garen said. He went to Jarvan's side and helped his prince make a path through the obstacles. "Maybe. Maybe not. But those freaks went here clearly in search of something. If they went all the way as to change into disguises, then it may be important." Jarvan replied.

The Crownguard siblings looked at each other.

A piercing scream ripped the silent air and reverberated into the empty halls.

Lux, Garen and Jarvan tensed. Hastening their progress, they made way into the darkness, hoping that nothing serious has happened.

5 min later…

"It's awfully silent." Lux said. Nigh a sound was heard. All was perfectly still. "What's with this place? It's like a fortress!" Garen said.

"It is." a deep male voice came from the darkness. A man stepped out of the shadows. They didn't need to see his face to know who he was. The dead, chilling light of his eyes made them certain. It was Lucian, one of the few Demacian exorcists and hunters whose notoriety made it into the light.

"Hey, Lucy. What're you doing here?" Lux piped. "I could be asking you the same thing. But if it's any good, I'm here to put an end to all the rumors of this place." Lucian replied. His voice was deep and dark as the grave.

"You mean to say there are things in here?" Jarvan asked. Lucian nodded. "I've seen things since I came here a while ago. There's definitely something here. I've seen the memories of this place, playing again and again in loops." he replied. "What do you mean?" Jarvan asked. "There's something here with a strong attachment to this house and those kids might as well have dug their own graves." Lucian replied.

* * *

Demacia

Last Supper

* * *

Alex serenely sipped aromatic tea from a teacup so finely weld and masterfully varnished that it wouldn't be mistaken for wood in the first place. Before him were stacks of plates, some empty while others still occupied. Alex had picked a seat on the second floor of the restaurant that allowed him a grand view of both the streets outside and a big expanse of tables and patrons below.

As charming as the Last Supper was, it did little to hide the grim fact that the restaurant once stood on what was an execution ground in the past eras. Right next door to it once stood a prison that housed over hundreds of war criminals who dared to stand against the Demacian regime of the time. The prison was gone in the present times. It was replaced by a sprawling garden that was decadently designed and cared countless flower-bearing plants in a bacchanalia of colors and wild scenery.

A hooded figure came into the restaurant and the place suddenly fell silent. All eyes and ears were trained unto this figure as it gamely made its way upstairs. Several hulking guards stood to stop its progress. Grimly, they reminded that only VIPs were allowed to the second floor. The figure produced a badge from underneath the cloak and the guards looked suddenly regretful. They hastily parted and the figure made its way up. It made a beeline to where Alex was seated.

"Do have a seat, Miss Vayne." Alex said, not even looking up to know it was. If Shauna Vayne was surprised or anything, she did not show it. She sat herself on the table and found several dishes sat in perfect arrangement in front of her. He was expecting her company.

"So you know me." Vayne said. She took up a spoon and fork and began to dig into the food. "I know you'd show up eventually. This kind of thing is right in your alley after all." Alex said. Vayne's mouth curled into a humorless smile. "You do know me." she said. Alex smiled. "And I also know you have an automatic crossbow trained at me right under the table this very moment. Also, silver bolts laced with Teramir and violet crystal dust is effective only on undead or demon. I happen to be neither one of those." he said serenely.

Vayne's eyes widened. She suddenly bolted, hurling food and ceramics and condiments to the floor in a violent burst. Two overlarge crossbows were trained to Alex's head and heart. Both of which were ready to fire with the just a mere reaction from Vayne.

"Those things can't do anything to a god." Alex said simply. He waved a hand and the tea set that was crashed to the floor vanished and reappeared brand new and undamaged, hovering in the air unassisted. Alex poured himself another cup of tea then sipped with added serenity that ticked Vayne off. "There are no such things as gods." Vayne said. Alex snorted. "Just because none of my kind has ever smiled down on you doesn't mean we don't exist, Shauna Vayne. We don't exist to impress mortals. Mortals exist to impress us." he said.

Shauna released a bolt from her weapon. True to his word, it merely passed through Alex and lodged on the woodwork behind him. "You're thinking: if you're a god, bring back my parents, why don't you?" Alex said. Vayne recoiled. Alex was spot on. "I can't, Shauna." Alex said. Vayne's eyes doubly hardened, the little shaking of her hand was suddenly gone and it became perfectly still. "I thought so. Deities are-" Shauna began. "I can't because I don't see merit in doing it." Alex interrupted her. It stopped Vayne's tirade dead.

A dark tide of hate and anger rose up in Vayne. The arrogance! "Just because you lost your parents doesn't mean the world or anyone else for that matter owe you anything, Shauna Vayne. Asking me to impress you is like an ant asking a galaxy to impress it. Why on earth would I do that? Why something so superior and infinite would trip over itself to impress something so inferior and finite? What makes you so special? How would you feel if a bacteria came up to your table and suddenly felt smug?" Alex said.

The crossbows disappeared. Vayne took her seat again, looking at him with nothing less than hatred. Alex waved his hand again and the mess that stained the floor near the table disappeared and reappeared at the table, looking perfectly fine just as it was before the huntress' tantrum.

"You've just sent your friends to their deaths. You realize that?" Vayne said after a long silence. Alex smirked. "Considering you know nothing about them, you're pretty sure yourself." he replied grandly. Vayne looked up at him.

"1987. The first concoction of bio-terrorism was designed by terrorist group known as Starchild. It was a grand scheme with a global ambition but it didn't make it into the limelight. 2016. Starchild unleashes its first attack on America, the United Kingdom and the artificial island called Little Asia.

A smashing 95% of the human population of the affected areas is wiped out overnight, reduced into mindless biological anomalies we would come to call as zombies. Strain A to H are the most common and built the bulk of the undead horde, strain I to Z are advanced evolutions and, as days turned to weeks and weeks turned to months, super-zombie strains are suddenly sprouting, very few in numbers but each can easily take on an army on its own. They were named after the Seven Deadly Sins. Pride. Greed. Lust. Envy. Gluttony. Wrath. Sloth. When more came into light, we named them after virtually anything and anyone that has a connection to Hell.

We were just students attending another day at school when it happened. Then everything went to hell. It's funny how fast humanity descends to anarchy when things like this happen. We were strangers back then. We couldn't even care less about each other back then.

Me. Kit. Marcus. Sammy. Carol. Maria. Glenda. Kristabella. Penny. Rex. T.O.O.T.E.E. Cunning.

It took a fucking zombie apocalypse to bring us together. We've been through hell and back and back again and back again. But we survived. We survived with a fucking army of kids, pregnant women, PWDs, old people and helpless animals behind us. THAT'S SOMETHING YOU SHOULDN'T DO WHEN THE FUCKING WORLD TURNS INTO A SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST CONTEST. THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WOULD HAVE ZERO PROBABILITY OF SURVIVING IN AN OUTBREAK. We lost family and loved ones and friends and survivors we've become close to. God knows how many times our sanity threatened to snap but we pulled through. We sucked it up and waded through the shitstorm.

We don't have these kinds of powers back home, you know. We're just ordinary people back there. Our world is trapped in science and logic. It's a world that thrives by studying what it can see and touch and hear and smell and taste. If something falls outside those bounds, it doesn't exist. It hates the existence of all things illogical and improbable. It hates it with a passion.

But a miracle happened during that day. By some will of the gods or higher beings, the universe or an insane amount of dumb luck, we were handed gifts that would be critical to our survival. A gift that was categorized under "THAT'S FUCKING UNBELIEVABLE! NO WAY IN HELL THAT'S REAL!" and I don't expect you to believe that… But that's what exactly happened.

I don't mean to insult their memories but you only saw the death of your parents and you grew up pretty fucked up. We saw our family members die. We saw our relatives die. We saw our friends die. We saw people we know die. They died in many ways but not one of them died peacefully. One bite from a zombie and you become one of them. Either that or falling to disease, starvation or some other son of a bitch's hand.

We had to put down too many people who've been infected. People who had so much life, so much dreams, so much hope, so much to give, people who, in a heartbeat, I would've traded for someone else instead. We had to put down men and women and children who lost to the disease. We had to endure betrayal and abandonment by some who we risked our own lives to save. We had to endure hunger and cold and depression and the growing demonic voices in our head telling us to fucking end it all. We survived it all and by some miracle of God or the Devil, we retained our humanity.

It's only been three years before the world united and fought the common enemy. We achieved a degree of normalcy but the nightmare is still there. It's still all fresh inside. So suck it up, you Demacian bitch. Your losses mean so little, so insignificant compared to a grand scale of a zombie outbreak. But unlike you, we're not lifeless automatons who mirror more the monsters that you hunt. So if you've come to warn us to back off of things, I suggest you get a life, Vayne. Or else we'll take yours." Alex said in a calm and serene voice.

Had Vayne been afraid of anything ever since she saw her parents die, she couldn't remember but she knew she would never forget the look in Alex's eyes. Dark, haunted and somewhere in there was a beast fighting tooth and nail with only the hungering will to survive as company. The words that poured off of Alex's mouth sounded like fiction and a gross implausibility but the hideous truth was snaking out and poised its fangs to sink in.

What horrors he and his friends have faced must have given them the strength and the will to stand and fight. They won't die cowering or whimpering. They will die laughing maniacally and will take as many down with them. They were dangerous but they were more than ready.

"You hide behind a mask of enigma and cruel logic but I can see the scared little girl inside of you. You thrived on self-hate, self-pity and self-delusion for too long that you would die if you were deprived of any of those. You came here to warn us not to meddle with things we couldn't begin to understand but the moment you heard someone call me a god, you saw red and inevitably failed in what would have been a noble cause. I do not intend to change your opinion of me. I find trying to change the minds of idiots and fools a cause I neither have the inclination nor the time for. Ultimately, I would be spending far more energy for an effort far less productive." Alex said.

"Also, there's a reason why the Hamilton case is what I chose for their little adventure. You should go there and find out for yourself. Who knows? You might be far less insufferable than before." Alex added. He waved an elegant hand in dismissal. Vayne looked at him long and hard. After a long moment, she withdrew her weapons and turned to leave.

Alex sighed. A stressful Alex tends to snap out at the first sorry ass who doesn't know what he or she is triggering. "Vayne." Alex called out. She stopped and looked a little over her shoulders. He waved a hand and a plate of sandwiches appeared out of thin air, floating beside Vayne. "Have something. I know you haven't eaten since yesterday afternoon." Alex said. Vayne nodded and took the sandwiches. As she descended down the stairs, Vayne bit into one of them. She stopped. Peanut butter sandwich.

It was a normal sandwich. In fact, it being so simple is one of the reasons why it's so popular. But Vayne reeled as she traveled back in time. She would impatiently bang her feet against the table, waiting for something to happen. Milly, her caretaker back then as well as now, would prepare a plate of the sandwiches for her to help her get off boredom temporarily. Her Mom and Dad arrived shortly and her Mom would chastise her for eating "peasant food". Her Dad would come to defend the simple food and grabbed one himself and then stuff her Mom's mouth with another. Shauna giggled.

Her Mom chewed tentatively. After a while, she chewed earnestly. "Not bad for peasant food." Shauna remembered her comment. The little incident gave birth to a family tradition. Whenever there was a family occasion, there would always be a plate of a humble peanut butter sandwiches standing there. It would only be a matter of seconds before they would be devoured. Peanut butter sandwiches reminded Vayne of the times she and her parents would be together. When they had the time to spend time with their only daughter, peanut butter sandwiches would be always present.

Vayne had nearly forgotten their taste. She hasn't eaten one for a very long time. A single teardrop ran down the Night Hunter's cheek. She didn't even try to wipe it off. "I still don't believe you're a god." she said softly. No response came to her. She looked up and her breath was suddenly taken away. She never saw someone so beautiful. Alex just sat there serenely, looking out to the gardens with a face of longing and tiredness. Wisps of red mist danced around him gaily, each one giving him a picturesque vision to anyone who beheld him. Reluctantly she looked away, afraid of giving in to crying, and left the establishment.


	14. ANNOUNCEMENT

Hey, guys! Persephone here!

Okay, I'll start with a big apology first because I know I should've updated the story a long, long time ago. Unfortunately, I lost my USB yesterday and it contained the five other Chapters I was supposed to update now. Hahaha... So sorry!

Anyhoo, thank you for taking the time to read my stories and plan to post more in the near future. Please continue to patronize it! I am now open for requests! Please leave a comment and tell me what you want to see in the future!

Love lots, Persephone


	15. Chapter 14- The Greenfen Lich Part 3

**Chapter 14**

**The Greenfen Lich Part 3**

•

Hamilton Manor

Hamilton Road

Demacia

•

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

_Just a recap…_

Marcus**: Reese**

Sammy: **Mickey**

Kit: **Ren**

Carol: **Momo**

Maria: **Antoinette**

Glenda: **Sylvette**

Alex: **MISSING IN ACTION**_("FOOOOOOD! YEAH!" Alex yelled)_

Lady Katarina: **Minnie**

•

"AAAHHHHHHHHH!" Carol (Momo) and Maria (Antoinette) screeched as they fled from a horde of walking corpses and faint figures of light. "YOU JUST HAD TO USE THAT, DIDN'T YOU?!" Carol shouted as her unkindness of ravens borne both her child form and her tricycle zoomed through the air. Kit (Ren) followed a little ahead of the women. Winnie's Angel form did an amazing job of staving off the foul creatures but their surrounding was a literal sea of these horrors.

It all started when Carol and Kit took their eyes off Maria for a second…

"OMFG! KIT, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS!" Carol screeched loudly, moving her tricycle over to something that caught her attention. Kit and Winnie came over her, shedding some light on the discovery. Kit garbled something in kiddie talk. "It's a sarcophagus! Let's open it! Maybe there's a dead body inside!" Carol said excitedly.

If there's something you don't know about Coralline Anne Felicia Smith, she's been dragging her friends into all sorts of paranormal investigations or ghost hunting and all that weird shit even since that accursed Supernatural _(Sam and Dean, if you're so inclined) _came out.

The worse one was when she dragged them into finding out if the ghost of the Nuevo Terra sewers was real. The only thing worse than the stench and the dirt and all the possible diseases they could have gotten was stumbling across the rotting corpses of a murdered man and woman. Carol, Kit and Glenda couldn't sleep for a week and Maria couldn't eat anything without remembering the sight and Marcus and Sammy were awfully quiet for an entire month. Only Alex seemed unperturbed.

Also made quite the scene when they reported it in. Turns out it was a scandalous crime of passion involving a stereotypical plot of a wife cheating on her husband who happened to be a political bigwig and you know what they say about what comes around comes around. Well, in the end that political bigwig got what's coming to him as well…

Anyhoo…

Kit looked both scared and reluctant but the look on Carol's face told him she wouldn't accept no for an answer. Kit closed his eyes and imagined the lid of the stone coffin before him rise to the air and move aside. A tingling sensation filled him as if benign electricity moved through his child form's body.

Kit opened his eyes and saw the lid had indeed floated off its stone container. With another thought, it moved aside and landed on the floor with a crash. Carol peeked inside it followed by Kit whose curiosity got the better of him. Thankfully it was empty.

"Aaawww… What a letdown!" Carol pouted, crossing her arms. Kit sighed in relief. Winnie nuzzled her owner affectionately. "Man, I expected some corpse would be inside it, Kitty-poo. Not some mummified thing or whatnot. But a real rotten corpse like that thing we found in the sewer. Sssoooooo gross! Then it would start to twitch and slowly rise. We set it free, Kit, WE SET IT FREEEEEEEEE!" Carol cackled maniacally.

Winnie nudged Kit and pointed her tail, a tendril of brilliant light in her Angel form, to a direction. Maria was hunched on a corner, laughing sinisterly as she hammered and spoke unintelligent words. Kit floated over to her, Winnie not far behind of him.

As he peeked over Maria's shoulder, he saw two intricate circles that looked like scribbles arranged in a circle-pattern. Within that circle hosted dozens of strange writings, drawings and strange shapes and diagrams. The circle was surrounded by black candles that bore a mysterious blue flame. Upon that same circle littered dried bones, leaves and twigs, stones etched with carvings and strange items that even an ignorant person could recognize as something that belongs to the occult at first glance.

Kit gasped and began hammering Maria with his little chubby fists. Winnie, sensing no malevolence from her human, playfully followed his example. Their little pummeling drew Carol's attention and she rode her tricycle towards them. "Watcha doin?" she asked. Kit glared at her and directed his finger at something before returning to attacking Maria. Carol wheeled over and took a look. One look and Carol was screeching like a banshee.

"WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO?!" she demanded angrily. Maria promptly burst into tears and covered her face. "I HAD TO DO IT! I HAD TO DO IT! I JUST HAD TO DO IT!" she wailed. Right after those words, they felt the power of the two Rituals rising, coursing through their skin like they were suddenly hurled deep into cold waters.

In that same instance, bluish figures rose from the pooling ectoplasm that suddenly appeared like beasts trying to break free from hardening glue. Shadows wept from the walls and the ceiling and coalesced into a flood of murky color on the floor and from within, desiccated corpses swam to the surface, breaking with maddening frenzy as they were forced into the shores of the living.

"Okay. RRRUUUUUUUUUNNN~!" Maria said, standing up with a surprising amount of agility and dashed away. "We're about to die and she looks like she's having the time of her life." Carol said. Her unkindness of ravens picked her up and her tricycle and sped after Maria.

•

"I know who the hell to blame for all this!" Marcus (Reese) yelled as he gunned one zombie and ghost to another. The feeling of a Ritual's power coming to life felt all too familiar. It only lacked the screen warning "You feel a strange power at play…" and it couldn't get any more obvious.

"On the bright side, we're no longer scared because we're fucking too busy fighting for our lives!" Glenda (Sylvette) yelled, headshot upon headshot of crossbow fires. Lady Katarina (Minnie) hovered in place, fiery shadows weeping from her spectral body that spilled to the floor and turned into five shadow puppets with dagger-like tongues and bladed fingers. Sammy (Mickey) was silent as he stood behind Lady Katarina, his body alight as well with supernatural power that was like a stream of wispy light that steadily flowed towards L.K.

"I wonder how the others are holding up…" Sammy said. "Worse than us probably. Ren and Momo aren't exactly built for damage and Antoinette's a big source of situational damage. Which is what we are currently plagued with." Glenda said.

"Should we get going? It's hard if we get overrun in this corridor?" L.K. asked. Glenda retrieved something from her belt. It was two heart-shaped vials that contained an orange liquid. "DUCK!" she yelled as she threw both vials in opposite directions. As the Bottled Sun touched the undead, it exploded, flooding the halls with blinding light and shaking the entire corridor with a powerful blast.

No undead remained after its explosion. "Is it over?" L.K. asked as she reappeared after being destroyed along with the undead. **KNOW YOUR PROTAGONIST: **_As long either Mickey or Minnie is alive, the other one will continually revive. _She looked around and whistled. "Looks reminiscent of one of Borgovia's battles." she commented. She helped Sammy stand up while Marcus helped Glenda up.

"Let's get the hell out of here while we have the chance." Marcus said. The four of them ran into the darkness. Behind them, without even a damn respite for the survivors, the dead began returning to torment them.

•

The four Demacian Champions stood against each other's backs as the undead horde surged forward. "What's with these numbers?!" Garen said as he spun his greatsword, cleaving undead that came close to him. "These kids might've pissed off the thing that's in here." Lucian replied grimly, guns blazing. Suddenly, they felt something drawing closer. An ethereal screeching was heard as something glowing very brightly soared from every opening of every corridor.

There was a massive booming as the power of the Bottled Sun manifested in the form of phoenixes soaring over the blackness. The hall was filled with light and heat as it purged undead in its wake. The Champions instinctively ducked on the ground. Garen held his sister's head down as the conflagration roared on top of their heads.

It lasted for only seconds but it seemed like hours. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared, leaving no undead standing in its wake. The Champions raised their head and found themselves alone in the massive hall. "What the hell?" Jarvan breathed. "Well, whatever that was, it sure as hell cleared the way for us." Lucian said. "Garen, you can get your hand off my head now. It's friggin' heavy." Lux said curtly. Garen winced and stood up. The hand he extended to his sister was ignored as she rose on her own and patted the dust off her armor.

"Looks like I missed the show." a voice said as its form appeared from the shadows. A swarm of bats filled the hall with their numbers. It was the Night Hunter Vayne. "Yay! The gang's all here! Now we can all die together!" Lux said sarcastically. "You'll be the first to know." Vayne said easily as she inspected the results.

She came here too late mostly because of the crowd that stationed near the Mansion's gates. She had to sneak in another way. The thing about pre-Lightshield regime architecture was that they made homes the same way they would build fortresses: tightly secured and damn difficult to penetrate. She had no choice but to try the backdoor and got herself in with a lucky find of a trapdoor in the ruined greenhouse.

"What kind of undead doesn't leave a trace when it's killed?" Vayne asked. The other Champions were silent. "One that's summoned." Lucian said. Lux gasped at the implications. "The lich? It's really real?" she asked in disbelief. "Possibly. If it exists, it's quite powerful too. Imagine the numbers it can muster." Vayne replied. Jarvan whirled around. "What?! This is a dangerous situation. If something like would be allowed to exit this building, I can only imagine what havoc it can rouse above." he said.

"Those kids might know what they're doing after all." Lucian said. "As if that light could come from any other source than them…" Vayne added. "Guys, look at that!" Lux suddenly interrupted the two exorcists' talk. They whirled to the direction she was pointing and saw a luminescent red orb floating. "That mist looks very familiar." Garen commented as he saw the familiar sight. "It's the god-boy. He wants to show us something." Vayne said. "Or he could be leading us to out deaths." Lucian pointed out. To their surprise, Vayne chuckled at that. "If he wanted us dead, we'd be rotting by now." she said. Without looking backwards, she went after it. The others followed after her.

•

"Well, this is certainly more books than I have ever seen my whole life." Garen said. The orb had guided them through the maze-like corridors and into the library. It was hidden behind the fireplace of a common room. Clever tactic to hide a secret passage in a room that would be occupied by the servants. They would not know what a nest egg they were sitting on. In a place as hostile and unforgiving is Runeterra, knowledge was an indispensable resource.

Even in Demacia, there was a lot of forbidden knowledge stored in vaults and guarded day and night by those who would not wish such secrets out in the open. The Order of The Gilded Lamp. The Order of The Vigilant Maiden. The Order of The Secret Pens. They were famous of a triad of religious organizations that guarded Demacia's greatest and darkest secrets. When one emboldened thief stole a secret from their vaults, it plunged Demacia into a ten-year civil war.

The scarlet orb beckoned them into a massive tome. The Champions approached with great caution. The orb exploded into a miniature version of Alex made of mist. "Greetings, Champions. By now, you've been through a lot because of my friends. But that's behind us all _(He gave them a sweet, apologetic smile). _You're here because there's a secret in this mansion. The book before you right now is the diary of the Greenfen Lich himself." Alex said. All eyes riveted at the bound tome before then.

Now that they knew what it was, they were more than just interested. "I should also warn you that the contents of this book will be considered heretical to your core Demacians values. If any of you here are narrow-minded, I suggest you do not read it." Alex said in a coy voice.

Of course, no one would openly admit they were narrow-minded. For the sake of saving face, they would pretend. But the challenging gaze Alex gave them goaded them even further. "Anyways, Champions, have a glimpse of the figure you're about to meet here in these same halls." he said mysteriously before vanishing. The tome opened itself unassisted. From there, the Champions began to read.

•

_I have always been interested in the mystic arts. It has been my obsession since I was a child. But the Hamiltons are not known for their talents in magic. I have never had a proper education at it. All I had was a rampant imagination._

_I remember that time when I first wielded magic. I was five, playing in my estate garden. I was chasing a butterfly in the air. Its multi-colored wings beckoned me with a yearning I have never felt before. Its wings were tinged with emerald, ruby and sapphire and gold. It was so, so beautiful._

_I wanted to touch it so much. I yelled in my heart for the butterfly to stop, to roost upon my fingers for I want nothing more but to admire her splendid beauty. Imagine my surprise when the air on my palms formed into ethereal chains. It surged and captured the beautiful insect, trapping it in a sphere of air. I stopped, looking at it in wonder._

_I was afraid of what happened but at the same time, I was shaking with excitement of this new discovery. I imagined the sphere dissipating and it did. With but a thought, I had done what only mages can do. I knew the talents I had then. I had the power to wield the unseen and limitless essences of Mana. I was a mage. I had access to the very heart of magic. _

_Chasing butterflies lost its interest with me. I wielded something greater, something not even I can fully comprehend. _

_I practiced with the air first. I bade it to form into shapes that would glide and dance in the wind. Beasts, monsters, saints and heroes of legends, I made them all. They were so lifelike. I had them perform aerial battles, reenacting legendary battles written in the history books._

_The next day I practiced with water. I called the waters and the liquids in the air. I shaped them into nymphs but that soon wore out my interest. I had it shaped into Ionian Placidium, into Noxian Crucible, into Freljordian Shirassan Icebergs and into Demacian Sunken Palace. I remembered hearing tales of Shurima, the golden city lost in the desert's wrath. I mustered what it would look like and the waters around me shaped into an image I did not conjure. It was an alien but very advanced civilization. Then I knew my power was far greater than I imagined. I could summon the very memory of the planet._

_On the day after that, I practiced the powers of earth. Plants grew at my command. I summoned flora that were dead for eons. I brought back extinct plants. And even I could not believe the act that I just did. I warped the gardens into mountains, into swamps, into deserts, into tundra and into valleys. Upon my will alone, flora from these environs rose to occupy them._

_It took me a day or two before I could play with fire. My parents were suspicious. The servants talk of how the gardens were changing right before their eyes. I heard the awe and the fear in their voice. I did not understand them. I had not harmed anyone. What is with this nonsense? _

_With fire, I played the next day. I decided to play somewhere else. I had chosen the abandoned church on top of the hill next to our manor. No one bothered to go there anymore but its ruined fields would serve my purpose well._

_I was ecstatic. Flames of every color rallied to my command. Each of them was like the colors of the rainbow. I spread the flames to all around me, willing them to burn brightly but never harm anything they come into contact with. The flames of obeyed. They burned like wildfire as they poured over fields of flowers and trees so green and yet none burned. The multi-colored inferno had taken my heart into rapture. I had never seen anything like this in my life. It was so beautiful, so splendid that no words would be fit to describe it._

_Alas, in my joy, I had failed to notice people who came to see. Their faces were pale with fear and trepidation. They looked at me like I was some sort of monster. Did they not see the beautiful sight? The fire that did not burn? I saw my parents in the crowd. They too shared the same expression. That is when I learned that magic was not for lesser men. Those who are blessed with it live in another plane of existence altogether than those who had not the gift to wield it. I told them not to be afraid for I swear in the name of the goddess Demacia that I would not harm them. _

_I stopped the fire with just a gesture. It disappeared without a trace. I promised myself I would see the dazzling colors again where there were no simple-minded fools who would interfere. This was the first promise to myself that I would break. My parents looked at me like I was a freak. They did not understand where this power had come. It was impressive and terrifying and they did not know how to handle it. They gave me to the Arcane University. Ah, the typical Demacian way of rearing children. If you cannot understand them or handle them, send them to a military branch of the government. Frankly, I find this Demacian thinking quite barbaric and irresponsible. But I had no intention of breaking. Why should I when I wield something greater?_

_I knew I would not fit in the University. I knew that from the beginning. They wanted me to learn restraint and control. Why restrain or control something so great? I did not understand it but I did not intend to learn it. My magic grew in the face of time. The mistake they all made was to give me access to knowledge I did not know about. The archives of the University teemed with it. I spent many nights in the library. I hardly returned to my room. Why would I when I could sleep with this so much knowledge?_

_My mentor, Astrias Knowe, was finally assigned to me after I gave my last teacher his permanent retirement. Astrias was a dominating man. That I can tell as much with just a look. He thought he could tame me but I already knew the reason of his anger and bitterness. He had the gift of magic at a young age. Like me, he was ecstatic and he thought he was one of the chosen ones. To his despair, however, he soon reached his limits. He could not surpass it even after years of trying to do so. He was weak all along. One can train the body become strong in the passage of time but this was magic. No matter how many kind of magic you will try to learn, your cap is your cap. You cannot naturally surpass it. _

_I knew I have not even delved that deep to what I could actually do. Knowing he could never grow stronger, this man focused his efforts in crushing those who had more talent than he did. A truly pitiful and pathetic man. I did to him what I did to all my mentors. I ignored him. I refused to listen to him. I told him the musty tomes in the archives were far informative than him. Embarrassed that he could not sway me, he sought to humiliate me. He challenged me to the Wizard's Duel. This was an ancient tradition that might look sophisticated but it's nothing more than an arcane version of a duel, two idiots try to settle their difference with pointy sticks, trying to establish who is actually the dominant one._

_I accepted it. After all, what can I lose to? Imagine my surprise when he showed up with several goons with him. I just scoffed at him. How honorable, I said to him in front of all the crowd he summoned to witness my humiliation. Sadly, it would be ultimately his. He said the Wizard's Duel need not be enemy versus enemy. True. There was that clause. There was nothing against summoning allies into the field. I told him that he would not mind if I summoned my own then. He agreed, the foolish idiot. _

_Summoning has a lengthy delay before the spell would actually work. He thought he could win knowing of this fact. How stupid. His knowledge of magic is limited only to his weak level. What would I expect? He did not know also that I knew that one of his summons was a magical disruptor, infuriating beings or objects that can throw an opponent's magic into disarray. Imagine his shock when he found out I summoned my own allies with just a gesture. I was a non-chanter and a master of summoning which one of these two alone would put me on the Archmagi status. _

_I summoned Succubi to torment him. I summoned a few of these devils before. They made excellent lovers, advisors and torturers. There was fear on his face at the sight of the things I summoned. How could a mere boy summon such things? I told him the difference between us was like earth and heaven. My Succubi fell upon his summons, plying their dark magic to turn them against their master. But I told them to save him for myself. I told this pathetic man that I would submit provided he would perform the same kind of magic I'm about to. He had no choice but to agree._

_Then I used it, the elemental magic that came upon me as a child. Fire. Air. Water. Earth. I summoned them, shaped them and made them whole. I combined these elements and created a lifelike construct of the silver celestial city of Targon as depicted by those who had seen it. Its size alone dwarfed that of the University. If he could do the same thing right here right now, I will submit to him and I will obey his every order. _

_To my surprise, the visage of Astrias Knowe disappeared and in his place was the Headmaster of the Arcane University Epheron Sliss. I told him I was quite disappointed at such dishonor. To think Demacians who prided themselves in virtue and honor would stoop to such low. I looked at Epheron Sliss and saw that he was the same kind as Astrias. Both greedy self-serving pigs. I told the Headmaster that if he can match my magic, I would submit but in the event he would fail, the right to kill Astrias would be mine as dictated by the Wizard's Duel. _

_Epheron looked a bit surprised at my conviction but he sought to match my creation. He tried and failed again and again. He could not even know why it was. He thought I had consumed so much Mana that I emptied the whole place. Angered at this embarrassment, he sought to destroy my construct. Imagine his shock when even his strongest spells could not dent my creation. I told him there's a big difference between us. _

_Then I told him what really happened. An imitation of Targon wasn't the only thing I made. Funny thing. I came across a tome detailing a magic called Edifice. It is a magic that can summon a doppelganger of a place or a structure provided the caster has a clear memory of that subject. When successfully cast, the summoned doppelganger will carry a likeness of the power of the subject. So if you summoned a holy ground then, by the gods, you also summon the holy aura of that place. The imitation of Targon summoned its celestial presence alongside it and it is the one nullifying any attempts to harm me at the moment._

_I did mention that a huge requirement of the spell is a clear memory of the place or structure and I told him I have been to Targon, not physically, of course. Just a psychic projection. It was a very satisfying sight to see the Headmaster openly gawking. He admitted defeat there. He knew he could never match that. But he did ask me one question. Where did I learn Edifice? Is not that obvious? I told him I learned it from a friend. And when I mastered the spell, I summoned a doppelganger of the Arcane University and the secrets of the school were all open to me. A gesture of my hand and he burst into eldritch flames. He screamed and screamed but no one dared interfere. Epheron lay on the floor, dying and burnt into a crisp. It was my right to kill him as the Wizard's Duel declared. I gazed on my old mentor, Astrias, and he too was consumed by flames. I made sure they survived but would inevitably die in several days. Let their pain remember their foolishness in challenging me._

_The King was there during my duel and he was interested in me. I do not believe he has something to offer to me that I cannot reach for myself. Then he told me that if I would work for him, he would give me access to the deepest arcane magic available to Demacia. I readily accepted. I never did finish my course in the university but I never regret it. I never looked back. For the first time in a long time, the Hamiltons had a member of their House who was a veritable lord of the eldritch._

_My reputation had spread far and wide and many feared me. But none dared to challenge me. No one can command me except for the King. Though he was lesser than I, I obeyed him at the cost of another secret of Demacian magic open to me. It would not be long before he would exhaust his archives and I would finally leave his service. The King knew this as much as I do. He knew it would be inevitable and he knew I looked forward to that day. That would mean I would bring my service to those who can offer me more._

•

_I feel the eyes of the envious on me. I have brought nothing but victories upon the King's feet. I triumphed where many would fail. The King established me as the Headmaster of the Arcane University. He thought the students of each generation could endear themselves to me. I have seen the king's efforts to squeeze the loyalty out of me but how can he? The only loyalty I feel is towards my crusade of acquiring more magical knowledge. My House had grown in prosperity and glory because of my exploits but I never feel any warmth for them. They are lesser people and I have no need of such anchors. No matter how many letters arrive at my doorstep, I will never meet with them. Family is a baggage I have no intention of shouldering. The path to mastering all magic is a lonely one._

_The King wishes for me to undergo a secret mission in the underbellies of Noxus. Thought it is said that Demacians innately hate Noxians as our cultures and core beliefs conflict, I find the Noxian arsenal of arcane knowledge incredibly fascinating. I only had one mission that brought me to Noxus. I am actually looking forward to returning to that dark land._

_My mission had sent me to yet again a strange place of Noxian history cast aside when those in power sought only those that can serve them well. The walls of this forgotten sanctum was filled with knowledge and history. I like it here in the darkness of these halls. I like silence for the sake of silence itself. I can study at the utmost. Then something caught my attention. Noxian pictograms spoke of an ancient necromantic order dedicated to the Our Lady of Lost Souls or commonly called The Pale Court, an ancient and powerful being, venerated as a terrible goddess, called the Dark Mother. During the time of the Silver Upheaval, this one cult had not bowed to the demands of the emerging military that would soon become the main power of this nation. _

_They waged a terrible war and unleashed undead that were possible only through the veneration of the Dark Mother. They called these horrors Banshees, after the mythological fae whose wails foretold imminent death. Banshees had the power to shape the surroundings of their victims into a living nightmare. Impressive as the dead the order commanded, I was attracted to one passage in the wall. The Sanguine Library. A legendary archive that housed so much forbidden knowledge from all around Runeterra. Every magic, dark and otherwise, known to Noxus was housed and preserved here. _

_When the wars of the religious cults in Noxus erupted, the order of the Dark Mother had come into possession of the magical keys that were the only way to access this place of power. It remained with them ever since. The Sanguine Library was the stuff of legends. Darkwill had, legend has it, performed a massive ritual of one thousand and three-hundred victims to force its gates to open for a minute. During that minute, he had stolen veritable knowledge of necromancy. One minute and he had possessed power beyond his wildest dreams. How much more when one spends a day or a week or a month within?_

_I was filled with ecstasy of this revelation. I had finally found a destination after my service to Demacia. It is with a joyous heart that I carried out the assassination assigned to me. It seemed fitting that I use dark magic to accomplish this. When the Noxian senate was in session and all the nation's most important was within, I turned their meeting into a feast for my demons. Their screams were music to my ears and their futile attempts to defend themselves were laughable to me. I was given the task to remove one man, what I accomplished was destroying a nation's governing body. _

_When I returned to Demacia, the King was shocked at my brutality. I told him frankly that removing one man will spare a hundred Demacians. If so, then would not removing their entire government save billions of us? It matters not what the Noxians will think. They will sense the demonic magic used to kill their leaders and their eyes will go anywhere other than Demacia. They now of our nation's distaste of the dark arts. Of course, the King could not argue with what I just told him. It sounded like the perfect crime. _

_And the perfect crime it was. I also knew the King saw something in me change. He knew he no longer could keep me enthralled. He told me to rest for another mission he planned to set me on and I informed him that I would not be available until the next week._

_I left for Noxus the very night I returned. Following the elusive riddles etched into the walls of the forgotten sanctums, I searched and searched for this sisterhood, this Order of Our Lady of Lost Souls. It took me a week to find enough evidence that the order did exist up to this day. I also felt the eyes of hidden watchers on me. Enemies or allies, I could not say for certain, but they were masterfully camouflaged with a magic I did not know how to counter. I was thrilled. The sisterhood might actually be watching me this very moment, sizing my worthiness to their order's secrets. It became my greatest wish to gain entrance to this order. I would stake my life on it._

_They came to me in the middle of the night. The Order of Our Lady of Lost Souls. Words were not enough to describe their grandeur. Dark, imposing, regal and mysterious were close but they fell with dismal failure. My room had become a bubbling and churning scene of vistas foreign to me. It had become a sea of a desert where the sands rose and fell like tides, a second later it had turned into a vast plethora of writhing tentacles with alien eyes upon it. My heart had burned with the vision the Banshees had given me. Their powers were as formidable as I have been told. I could learn many, many things from them. They told me of the Dark Mother's Vigil, a rite of invocation for the Dark Mother. "Perform the rite and the Dark Mother herself will judge you." they said and then vanished into nothingness. _

_This was my second quest. The Dark Mother's Vigil. I was to search for the ritual and how to perform it. That very moment, I left my bed and began to search. I deployed a huge number of invisible spirits and familiars to scour Noxus of this precious information. For over twelve days, I've searched libraries and archives, tortured anyone whom I suspect could give me a piece of the puzzle to my prize and I did. I had pried the information from none other than the Black Rose. I should have known. I should have turned my suspicions upon them in the first place. What a terrible loss of life. But their deaths mean I am closer to joining the order. _

_I may have bitten a huge piece out of the Black Rose but the sweet scent they have given me was so uplifting. At last, the Dark Mother's Vigil was in my hands. I took the ancient tome the matron had given me. Of course, she had no choice in the matter. I had severed her legs and peeled the skin off her face. I frankly think it is her fault in the first place. Such a precious resource should not even be at the hands of something as filthy as the Black Rose. Their pathetic power-mongering is underneath the higher goal of the order. I had taken the tome with me back to Demacia. I will play the good little soldier for a little while._

_When I returned, I noticed that the King was almost afraid of me. I had invited him into a private meeting and we did. Imagine my surprise when he demanded my loyalty up front like I was some kind of trained animal. I asked him why should I. He knew about my passion with the magical arts. I had exhausted his archives. It is only logical that I seek new knowledge elsewhere. _

_Then the King spouted nonsensical sentimentality, telling me that I am the closest he has to a brother. What a pathetic man. He had seen that I would leave him soon and the thought of it filled him dread. What a foolish, little man. Had he not known only fools build castles around one resource? I am that resource and he had built around me. He is simply too afraid of the shadows outside his little spotlight._

_I told him that for the sake of our relationship I will do him one more favor, no more, no less. That is when the King's face alight with horror and hate. He knew that I have already found what I desired for. He knew I was going to cast him on the side and move on. He looked pitiful, like a man betrayed by a dearly loved one. He acquiesced and gave me one last task: to cleanse a huge portion of the undead in the Black Maw. _

_The following day, I was given command of fifty-seven of the best mages in Demacia. We set off at first daylight. My mind was filled with the thoughts of all the knowledge I would learn from the secrets of the Sanguine Library. I shivered with pleasure. I summoned a small army of undead and demons to aid our cause. I ordered the mages to leave the brunt of the attack to me while they keep ensuring their own survival. _

_It was around noontime that treachery struck. I had been far distracted by my excitement of the Sanguine Library and my focus on the task at hand. I failed to notice the mages had completed an anti-magic ritual. My summons immediately disappeared in the dispersing starlight and a barrier had erupted around me. I turned to my fellow Demacians and realized it. The cowardly king had ordered my death. I summoned the Edifice of the Sun Disk of Shurima and my Mana had enflamed into an inferno. I broke from my bonds and summoned otherworldly monsters to my side. An entire Legion of Demacian mages had been deployed to assassinate me. _

_In my mind, the king had given no greater pleasure and honor. While the Sun Disk empowered me with the Mana of the daylight, it was also powering something else up. In the hours we fought, I had been the winning one. One by one, the mages fell and their morale had broken long ago. It was only the brainwashing of training beaten into them that kept them attacking. Poor, little sheep. That was when the earth trembled and broke. The greatest number of numbers expelled by the Black Maw emerged from its bowels. They were coming for us._

_Now, it was I who kept fighting on two sides, the undead at my back and the mages at my front. I could not relinquish the Sun Disk that powered them for without it, I would surely fall. Then something impossible happened. A dark whisper came into my mind, calling into my soul. I did not know who it was but my soul knew the nameless creature. It was the Dark Mother, Our Lady of Lost Souls. She came for me. She told me I was ready. All I needed to do was to die and surrender to her. Death was the ultimate leap of faith. _

_I answered her call. I took the Sun Disk and combined it with a magic forbidden amongst mages. It was called the Last Stand. Calling upon the invisible rivers of Mana that flowed into this broken world, I was transformed into a living star, brandishing magical might unimaginable. This power came at a terrible price. It would only be minutes before I burned completely out. I sent the mages to the ground and forced them to watch my last, great show. It would be to die for. Witness the greatest Hamilton burning bright in the darkness of the undead, sear my glory into your trembling hearts! I would not forget that moment. I had taken my leap of faith. I obliterated scores of undead alone and sent the darkness back. I had completed the quest the pathetic king had given me then darkness claimed me. Kindred has taken me. I wonder to whom I fell: to Lamb who offers a swift, painless end or to Wolf who savages the dead. It did not matter. The Dark Mother has come for me._

_I woke up anew at my family's crypts. Before me was a chorus of my Sister Banshees. They had come for me, they remade me, they made me Neverlich. It was my happiest moment. To stand among them as equal. And the Dark Mother presented me with her finest gift: the key to the Sanguine Library._

_Here in the catacombs I remained until the death of the last Hamilton. I reclaimed the mansion, let it fall to disrepair. It was a fitting end for their legacy. I had been the only brightest star this family has produced. I would come to learn that my king had died from a broken heart. Guilt and despair had broken him. I bear him no ill will but I do not pity him as well. One born to and lived in mediocrity can only die in mediocrity._

_I had been here ever since, waiting and learning. The secrets of the Sanguine Library was drawing near. I had pleased the Dark Mother with my mastery of each and every one of those. She has promised me a new reservoir the moment I exhaust it. _

_I now come to my last secret from the library. It is a complex one. I may need weeks to fully decipher this one._

_It has been eight years since I last wrote into this diary. I had not yet began to comprehend the power of the Sanguine Library's last secret. It was an ancient magic not from this world. It was brought here by creatures of the outside world, magnificent beings I could begin to imagine. It would seem that all the secrets within the library had been preparing me for this one. It was as if from this one knowledge, a fountain of thousands more had sprung. I no longer hear the Dark Mother's voice. My prayers to her remain unanswered. Is she displeased with my incompetence? I shudder at the thought. I must not disappoint my Mother._

_Amazing! My Mother had come to me in the dead of night in one of my restless vigils. She had revealed to me an important clue. With this piece, the puzzle is now complete. It is astounding! Staggering! To think I have come across the very nature of this world of ours. Runeterra is a world not meant to be born. It is an anomaly! It is a forgeworld! It belongs to gods! Beings of incomprehensible power, who long abandoned this world! And Runeterra remained. It prospered. Yet it is still a forgeworld. The secrets of these beings remain here. _

_I see the destination my Mother wants me to take. She wants me to learn all their secrets. To take it from them! To offer it at her altar as sacrifice. Praise the Dark Mother! _

_I know her real face now. She is one of them. A being left behind in this world, wings cut off preventing her from flying from this realm. She was presumed dead. I cried for the first time when I learned of it. My poor Mother, far from her people! I know why she seeks our souls. She takes a few, raises them in faith and power, turning them into things with the intensity of thousand suns. We are hers! We will be the fuel she needs to leave this world! Our Dark Mother needs us! We must repay the debt!_

·

After reading the last entry in the diary, the Demacians looked disturbed and… "HOLY SHIT." Garen said finally. That summed it up quite fine indeed. "We know what we're up against." Lucian said. Garen and Lux looked at him. "We do?" they chorused. Lucian nodded. "We're dealing with a smart monster." he said. "And magically powerful too." Vayne added. A waft of red mist summoned the book from Lucian's grasp.

And it its place was a new one. This other library looked brand new compared to the last. It was also nearly done with the amount of writing done into it. The lich was indeed still around.


End file.
